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Piazzolla, Astor : Five Tango Sensations, for bandoneón & string quartet (abridgement and arrangement of Sette sequenze Campero Tristón Acentuado Tango in A, for violin and pianoAlbum Summary
- Stefano Antonello (Violin)
- Marco Pavin (Guitar)
- Bernardino Beggio (Piano)
- Luca Paccagnella (Cello)
- Alessandro Fagiuoli (Violin)
Notes & Reviews:
Born in Argentina in 1921, Ástor Piazzolla grew up in New York before eventually returning to his homeland in 1955. One of the finest composers to have emerged from South America, he is best remembered today for his development of the tango - a product of the working-class suburbs of Buenos Aires, and a dance whose rhythm Piazzolla combined with his classical training as well as American jazz influences to achieve a highly personal style. Piazzolla's output is dominated by chamber music, and in this fascinating 2CD collection we encounter some of his most famous works within the genre. Effectively tracing the Argentinian's career, the compilation contains such early gems as Tres Piezas Breves, a late-1940s composition documenting his attempt as a serious composer, as well as the renowned Adiós Nonino of 1959 that was responsible for raising Piazzolla's reputation both at home and abroad. By the time Piazzolla came to write Five Tango Sensations (1989), he was attracting the attention of internationally renowned musicians. Composed for the progressive Kronos Quartet, the late work shows just how much his style had advanced. Despite this shift, however, Piazzolla never lost sight of the sensual, despairing emotion of the tango - an emotion that is the essence of this wonderful assortment of works, inspiringly performed by the Interensemble Padova.
Notes & Reviews:Recording information: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena (12/28/1995-02/11/1996).
Reviews
Piazzolla's chamber music in impressive performances
One of the highlights of Piazzolla's final years was his collaboration with the Kronos Quartet. He wrote and was involved in recording two important works with the group: Four for Tango for String Quartet and Five Tango Sensations for Bandoneon & String Quartet. These two great works focus more on the classical side of his music, though the traditional tango and to a lesser extent the jazz component remain in play. They are performed by Interensemble Padova on two CDs just re-released by Newton, in impressive performances that nearly match the famous Kronos recordings on Nonesuch.
Interensemble Padova released two discs of Piazzolla chamber music on the Italian label Rivoalto in 1997 and 98. This new Newton re-release, in their standard two-disc format at a bargain price, should help bring this music to a wider audience. Besides the two works already mentioned, the two generously-filled discs include a variety of works for various combinations that represent the wide range of Piazzolla's chamber music. While not every piece is a masterpiece, this set has the great advantage of variety, which unfortunately doesn't happen with many Piazzolla discs of tangos and milongas for a particular ensemble of instruments. It's a valuable showcase for a composer who studied with Alberto Ginastera and Nadia Boulanger, and who claims significant interest even if you set aside the tango wave he rode to his current fame. I'm especially impressed with Bernardino Beggio's Trois Preludes for solo piano, and with the Tres Piezas for solo guitar, as played by Marco Pavin. The whole package is highly recommended.
Submitted on 05/02/12 by Dean Frey
Interensemble Padova released two discs of Piazzolla chamber music on the Italian label Rivoalto in 1997 and 98. This new Newton re-release, in their standard two-disc format at a bargain price, should help bring this music to a wider audience. Besides the two works already mentioned, the two generously-filled discs include a variety of works for various combinations that represent the wide range of Piazzolla's chamber music. While not every piece is a masterpiece, this set has the great advantage of variety, which unfortunately doesn't happen with many Piazzolla discs of tangos and milongas for a particular ensemble of instruments. It's a valuable showcase for a composer who studied with Alberto Ginastera and Nadia Boulanger, and who claims significant interest even if you set aside the tango wave he rode to his current fame. I'm especially impressed with Bernardino Beggio's Trois Preludes for solo piano, and with the Tres Piezas for solo guitar, as played by Marco Pavin. The whole package is highly recommended.
Submitted on 05/02/12 by Dean Frey
Piazzola heard as he first envisioned!
Astor Piazzolla is rightfully associated with the development of the Argentine tango (specifically) into a classical art form His sources of inspiration were the small scale, intimate performances of the streets, of the coffee houses and of the lounges that he grew up watching and assimilating. Actually, Piazzolla was born in Argentina, his family moved to New York and he, then, returned to Argentina as a teenager. The two main sources for his view of his own culture and what he perceived as either artistic or trite were the cafe performers of Prohibition Era New York and the defiant swagger of the gang elements and, later, the street and lounge performers of Buenos Aires. Piazzolla studied with the great Argentine iconoclast Alberto Ginastera and learned about new approaches to traditional forms - not always met with accolades. This terrific collection of Piazzolla's chamber works is a perfect introduction to the type of music that he sought to emulate, to manipulate and to personalize into a sort of commentary. There are some works here that listeners may be familiar with; such as the "Five Tango Sensations" for accordion (bandeon) and string quartet - a full and exotic five movement work that evokes a smoky lounge somewhere or perhaps "Le Grand Tango" for cello and piano, originally written in honor of Rostropovich who actually ignored it for nearly ten years before giving it an incredible premiere performance. Some listeners may know the "Histoire du Tango" as well, for flute and guitar. Piazzolla received much criticism during his lifetime, especially early on, from native Argentinians for taking the culturally sacrosanct form of the tango and daring to take it through strange harmonies and arrange it for new and unusual instrumental combinations. This collection also includes a wonderfully eclectic blend of some of his lesser known chamber works and are all great to listen to. For example, his "Trois Preludes" for piano is a beautiful and engaging little work that does not get played nearly often enough. The short gem, "Four, for Tango" for string quartet was written for the Kronos Quartet (as was the "Five Tango Sensations") Piazzolla wrote six formal etudes in the manner of tangos, they are presented here in two sets of "Trois Etudes tanguistiques"; one with violin and one with flute. Piazzolla afficionados would love this collection by the very talented members of the Interensemble Padova. All the performances are wonderful and kudos, again, to Newton Classics group who have been rereleasing an amazing assortment of classical music by historical groups and in historical performances. Even people who don't really know Piazzolla's music would enjoy this set. Who doesn't like a good, sultry tango with some new spices?
Submitted on 05/08/12 by Modern Clarinet Guy
Submitted on 05/08/12 by Modern Clarinet Guy
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Works Details
Piazzolla, Astor : Five Tango Sensations, for bandoneón & string quartet (abridgement and arrangement of Sette sequenze - Ensemble: Interensemble Padova
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 25 min. 23 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Form: Chamber Music
- Written: 1990
Piazzolla, Astor : Tres Piezas, for guitar :: Campero - Performer: Marco Pavin (Guitar)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 4 min. 47 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1980
Piazzolla, Astor : Tres Piezas, for guitar :: Tristón - Performer: Marco Pavin (Guitar)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 3 min. 51 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1980
Piazzolla, Astor : Tres Piezas, for guitar :: Acentuado - Performer: Marco Pavin (Guitar)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 3 min. 30 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1980
Piazzolla, Astor : Preludes (3) for piano - Performer: Bernardino Beggio (Piano)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 15 min. 7 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: ?1989
Piazzolla, Astor : Le Grand Tango - Performers: Bernardino Beggio (Piano); Luca Paccagnella (Cello)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 11 min. 23 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: ?1982
Piazzolla, Astor : Adiós Nonino, tango - Ensemble: Interensemble Padova
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 5 min. 56 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1959
Piazzolla, Astor : History of the Tango - Performer: Marco Pavin (Guitar)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 19 min. 37 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: by 1985
Piazzolla, Astor : 2 Piezas Breves :: Tango in A, for violin and piano - Performers: Alessandro Fagiuoli (Violin); Bernardino Beggio (Piano); Stefano Antonello (Violin)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 3 min. 46 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1949
Piazzolla, Astor : Études tanguistiques (6), for flute solo ("Tango-Études") - Performers: Alessandro Fagiuoli (Violin); Stefano Antonello (Violin)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 21 min. 15 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1987
Piazzolla, Astor : Piezas Breves (3) [Three Short Pieces], for cello & piano - Performers: Bernardino Beggio (Piano); Luca Paccagnella (Cello)
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 7 min. 21 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1944
Piazzolla, Astor : Four, for Tango - Ensemble: Interensemble Padova
- Notes: Cappella di Santa Maria dei Servi, Auditorium Maddalena, Padua (12/28/1995-02/11/1996)
- Running Time: 6 min. 41 sec.
- Period Time: Modern
- Written: 1989
