Performer: Cheng² Duo, Bryan Cheng, Silvie Cheng
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Audite
Release: 2018
Size: 1.38 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Enrique Granados:
01. Intermezzo from “Goyescas”, H. 71: Goyescas: Intermezzo (arr. G. Cassado for cello and piano)
Manuel de Falla:
02. La vida breve, Act II: Danse espagnole No. 1 (arr. and M. Gendron for cello and piano)
Siete Canciones populares españolas
03. No. 1, El paño moruno
04. No. 2, Seguidilla murciana
05. No. 3, Asturiana
06. No. 4, Jota
07. No. 5, Nana
08. No. 6, Canción
09. No. 7, Polo
Isaac Albéniz:
10. España, Op. 165: III. Malagueña (Arr. J. Stutschewsky and S. Thaler for cello and piano)
Enrique Granados:
11. 12 Danzas españolas (Spanish Dances), Op. 37, DLR I:2: No. 5. Andaluza [arr. M. Calvo and for cello and piano]
Manuel de Falla:
12. El amor brujo (Love, the Magician): Danza ritual del fuego [The Ritual Fire Dance] [arr. G. Piatigorsky for cello and piano]
Joaquín Turina y Perez:
13. Danzas fantasticas, Op. 22: Danzas fantasticas, Op. 22: I. Exaltación (version for piano) [Version for piano]
Gaspar Cassadó:
Suite for Solo Cello
14. I. Prelude – Fantasia
15. II. Sardana – Danza
16. III. Intermezzo e danza finale
17. Requiebros
Pablo de Sarasate:
18. Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20
It’s not a typo: the duo is indeed called Cheng² Duo, in other words Duo Cheng squared. It makes sense considering the cellist is named Bryan Cheng, and the pianist Silvie (again, not a typo!) Cheng – yes, they are siblings. Despite what their last name may suggest, the Chengs are in fact from Canada and made their debuts as soloists with the country’s best orchestras before going on a world tour to pursue their now international career. The family cooperation, as a duo, led them to the present Iberian repertoire, made up almost exclusively of rewritings of works for piano, vocals and orchestra: only Turina’s Danzas fantásticas is performed in its original version for piano solo, and Cassadó’s Suite for cello solo… on cello solo, one could have guessed! What an incredible energy these two bring to the table! Some arrangements are in fact the work of big names such as Maurice Gendron, Cassadó or Piatigorsky. The Spain of Cheng² is packed with fire and flames – who could resist the Song of Wildfire, and of tenderness, of El amor brujo −, Falla’s Siete canciones populares españolas (Seven Spanish Folksongs) are a wonderful achievement. Here is a strong and beautiful album, presenting – with perfect conviction – well-known works but in new formats, thus shining a new musical light onto them.