Old world loveliness
Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 12/14/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first heard this marvelous solo piano music while watching the wonderful Cuban film "Strawberry and Chocolate", and found it so charming that I bought this CD. These Danzas segue from one piece to the next, giving us a seamless pattern of melodies and changing rhythms, exquisitely played by the master pianist Frank Emilio. Though some of these compositions could be thought of as slightly late 19th Century European in style, they are all 100 % puro Cubano.There are 24 Danzas (total running time is 40:23). 7 of them were recorded in '62, and 17 of them in '71. The sound is excellent, and the brief leaflet in the CD is in Spanish and gives a short history of this wonderful composer (who died at the age of 57 in 1905) as well as a lovely little photo of this bewhiskered man, with such beautiful, kind eyes.This CD is a total delight, and would be appreciated by both classical and popular music aficionados, and if you love Cuban music, give this a try. It just might surprise and enchant you."