Search - Lecuona, Pegoraro :: Lecuona: Piano Works / Cristiana Pegoraro

Technically good; misses the spirit.; doesn't get Cuban beat

billjnyc | 12/11/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I heard Pogoraro earlier this year at an all Lecuona recital at the U.N. in New York, as well as this recording. As a Cuban, I very much appreciate her championing the music of Lecuona, who is terribly underappreciated in "serious" music circles. BUT, unfortunately my Cuban friends and I feel she doesn't have a good grasp of the nuances of Cuban dance rhythms. When you have Lecuona himself available on recordings, why bother with anyone else. The Tirino series on the BIS label is worth getting for its comprehensiveness."

CRISTIANA PEGORARO

05/23/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was until the week before the past one that I heard Mrs. Pegoraro for the first time. Her music came to me because a very close friend of mine gave me a CD of hers as a present. He knows I like music, piano most of all. I was astonished.I have been playing the piano for the past 27 years (I started at the age of 6)with my private teacher, a magnificent Brazilian Concert-meister, Mrs. Normanha. My education has been however very informal, I have never gone through any "academical" technics. I therefore do not consider myself any music-critic; I rather listen to the music with my heart and him (my heart) has developed some auditing skills.At first, the profound, deep breathed pauses in her playing altered my listening rythm and expectations. Her interpretation of Lecuona was very different from what I was used to too and yet, the cuban spirit was always there. Then the quality and the round sonority of her chords simply undertook my breath. The more I heard, the more convinced I was that I was listening to an aged interpreter who had learned to enjoy a good breathing compass between phrases. Finally, I took the CD case and then,the real shock came : I could not believe that the woman on the picture, so young, could be this acomplished interpreter.As mexican, and piano student of a Brazilian teacher, I have always been very linked to american, afro-antillan music : Lecuona, Lavista, Villalobos,Ginastera are names of composers that are very familiar to me and the rythm and construction of their composition is very close, say a question of race, to me. I travel to Europe very often and, when I have the chance to meet with some piano players, it is very rare to find one who plays one of these composers.To me Lecuona is the perfect example of tropical-american compositions that ranges from "musica culta" to "musica popular". I have a connection with him although I only play "La Comparsa" and "Malagueña".I think that she also have a very deep connection with Lecuona and certainly a very fresh understanding and approach of his work. I cannot wait to hear her playing more of Lecuona."