South American Getaway [Import]

Heitor Villa-Lobos (Composer), Astor Piazzolla (Composer), Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann (Composer), Chabuca Granda (Composer), Jorge Ben (Composer), Horacio Salgan (Composer), Burt Bacharach (Composer), 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic (Performer), Juliane Banse (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic, Juliane Banse
• Composer: Heitor Villa-Lobos, Astor Piazzolla, Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann, Chabuca Granda, Jorge Ben, et al.
• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B00004SRG4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,479 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Who knew that the solid, staid old Berlin Philharmonic had such a groovy group of swingers in its cello section? One of them plays the maracas during the rests in his part, others slap their instruments with abandon, and some of them even shout at appropriate moments: if this makes them sound like trainspotters letting their hair down, it's not meant to. This recording of South American and South American-inspired music is full of joy from beginning to end, and played with the kind of accuracy other ensembles only dream of. The mood ranges from sultry and sweaty (Kaiser-Lindemann's Brazilian Variations) through coolly intellectual (the Fugue from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1) to pure sunshine (Burt Bacharach's "South American Getaway"). The arrangements are models of their kind, and the cellists respond to their challenges with bravura and passion--at times creating sounds remarkably like a bandonéon, at others producing perfect harmonics in octaves or just singing out with pure joy. Irresistibly seductive. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely music lovingly played, June 27, 2000

By 

F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: South American Getaway (Audio CD)

Some music, as Bacon wrote about books, is to be merely tasted and others digested. Many people ask me for music that can be played at parties (loud ones or sedate, indoors or out?), but seldom for music that stimulates the little gray cells. A recent EMI release falls sort of between the two poles. <South American Getaway> 7243 5 5656981 2) features the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic and soprano Juliane Banse performing some unfamiliar (to most of us) works by Villa-Lobos, Kaiser-Lindemann, Piazolla, Granda, Ben, Salgan, and Bacharach (!).

For me, the highlight is the beautifully sung Aria and Danca from the "Bachianas Brasleiras No. 5." Ms. Bancer's other vocal contribution is "The Kid in Blue Jeans" which is very reminiscent of the "girl on the curb" songs with which Piaf used to break your heart.

All in all, this is a lovely offering and the texts of the songs are included in the usual several languages.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stellar, November 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: South American Getaway (Audio CD)

Wow - It's the cello-section of the Berlin Philharmonic, ok, so I expected a lot, but still this CD blew my ears off. What a performance! What a rare symbiosis of refined music making and unhalted moods and passion. Often, with lesser ensembles, passion is misunderstood as edgyness, even loudness... Not with these guys, and still, you hear every bit of emotion your supposed to hear. All pieces all my favorites, ALL of them, no exception. Juliane Banse is captivating, and together this gang of music makers is unstoppable. Legend has it that even the old von Karajan approved their performances (the Maestro in the Salzburg audience!). I am sure that these days also Sir Simon will concur...

5.0 out of 5 stars In a word, fantastic., February 20, 2009

By 

Nabih B. Bulos (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: South American Getaway (MP3 Download)

An excellent disc, well worth the price of admission. Clearly these guys can play, but you knew that already. After all, it IS the Berlin philharmonic, but the fact that they can groove is what makes this CD a true gem. I'm not normally a fan of crossover titles because, as trite as it sounds, they are totally insincere both in terms of the respect of the performers for the music and the selection of the music itself.
Happily, this is not the case here. Although I am less fond of the tracks with the soprano (who does an excellent job mind you, I'm just more partial to pure instrumental music myself), all the performances are top-notch, with the Berliners strutting their stuff in the stratospheric heights of the cello (you'll think they're violins at some point) all the while grooving, tapping, and even hooting every now to the music.
I suppose the best thing one can say is that it seemed these 12 cellists had fun while they were doing. It's infectious... get the disc.