Poorly peformed
CD Maniac | Nashville, TN | 02/24/2007
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The Variaciones Concertante is an amazing piece where each variation shows off a different instrument or section. It is a piece for virtuoso orchestra, and this orchestra isn't even close.
The clarinet varaition is well known for it's difficulty, and the piece shouldn't be performed (or recorded) without an amazing player. This recording tries to get around this by performing that variation at a tempo that is way too slow (and not what the composer intended). It is a disgrace, taking all the life out of the music. Also, the high passage is taken down an octave. Why would anyone think that is acceptable?
There are obvious French Horn clams, and while other variations have all the right notes, the players play timidly in order to get the notes, but without any musicality.
Run away from this recording. Not even worth it at a budget price."
See if you can find the Leinsdorf recording
david bedford | 01/17/2010
(2 out of 5 stars)
"The best performance and not bad recording is the 1968 recording of Ginestera's Variaciones concertantes and Piano concerto played by Joao Carlos Martins with the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erich Leinsdorf. RCA 0 SB6784 (12 in., 43s. 9d.). I bought the Lp in 1976. Would be a good re-issue."