Composer: Joaquin Rodrigo
Performer: Artur Pizarro
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Naxos
Catalogue: 8557272
Release: 2005
Size: 186 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. A l’ombre de Torre Bermeja (In the Shadow of the Crimson Tower)
Cuatro Piezas
02. Caleseras (Homenaje a Chueca)
03. Fandango del ventorrillo (Fandango of the Inn)
04. Plegaria de la Infanta de Castilla (Prayer of the Princess of Castile)
05. Danza valenciana (Valencian Dance)
06. Pastorale
07. Preludio de anoranza (Nostalgic Prelude)
2 Berceuses
08. Berceuse de Printemps (Spring Lullaby)
09. Berceuses d’Automne (Autumn Lullaby)
10. Bagatela (Bagatelle)
Cuatro estampas andaluzas
11. El vendedor de chanquetes (The Whitebait Seller)
12. Crepusculo sobre el Guadalquivir (Twilight Over the Guadalquivir River)
13. Seguidillas del diablo (The Devil’s Seguidillas)
14. Barquitos de Cadiz (Little Boats of Cadiz)
15. Sonada de adios (Sounding of Farewell)
16. Serenata espanola (Spanish Serenade)
17. Air de ballet sur le nom d’une jeune fille (Ballet Theme on a Young Girl’s Name)
18. Zarabanda lejana (Distant Sarabande)
5 Piezas del siglo XVI
19. I. Diferencias sobre ‘El Canto del Caballero’ (Antonio de Cabezon) (Variations on ‘The Knight’s Song’)
20. II. Pavana (Luis de Milan)
21. III. Pavana (Luis de Milan)
22. IV. Pavana (Enriquez de Valderrabano)
23. V. Fantasia que contrahace la harpa de Ludovico (Alonso Mudarra) (Fantasia in the Style of Ludovico’s Harp)
Rodrigo’s piano music appears infrequently in the recital room, though excellent two-CD surveys have appeared: Gregory Allen on Bridge and Sara Marianovich on Sony. Now comes a first-class collection from the perceptive and sympathetic Artur Pizarro, who opens brilliantly with Rodrigo’s evocation of Albéniz, A l’ombrede Torre Bermeja, here, as elsewhere, bringing out its affinities with the guitar. Cuatro Piezas include a glittering ‘Fandango’ and a touchingly pensive ‘Prayer of the Princess of Castille’, while among the Andalusian Pictures (Cuatro Estampasandaluzas), ‘Twilight over the Guadalquivir River’ makes a reflective contrast with the quirky bravura of the devilish ‘Seguidillas’.
Among the simpler items, the nostalgic Preludio, and delicate Pastorale, the rippling Serenataespañola and charming Air de Ballet are all highly beguiling. Pizarro captures the varying moods of this music very well. This generous collection is vividly recorded and with excellent bookletnotes by Graham Wade.
The piano music of Joaquín Rodrigo is rarely heard and practically unknown compared to his guitar works. This disc by Artur Pizarro should help rectify the oversight. None of the works here are as substantial as Rodrigo’s concertos, but the colorings and expressions are just as rich as in those larger works. Many of these are indebted in some way to other composers. The first piece is an homage to Isaac Albéniz’s Torre Bermeja (Crimson Tower), appropriately entitled In the Shadow for the Crimson Tower. Rodrigo wrote the glowingly resonant Sonada de adiós in memory of Paul Dukas, one of his teachers. The last five pieces on the disc are transcriptions of works by late-Renaissance Spanish composers. These are almost over-Romanticized in shading, but do capture the original spirit, if not quite the sound. The final Fantasia que contrahace la harpa de Ludovico has attention-grabbing, modern-sounding harmonies and rhythms. The rest of the works on the disc are dances, full of Spanish fire and spice, mini tone poems, and character pieces, which also draw on Spanish idioms and post-Romantic harmonies. Pizarro moves easily from the simple, soft lines of a berceuse to the punctuated figures found in the Estampas Andaluzas, changing his articulation as needed to realize fully and marvelously the spirit of the music. What would make this disc even better would be a warmer sound. The recording is a little distant, and it tends to thin out the colors of the music.