Search - Angel E. Lasala, Carlos Guastavino, Astor Piazzolla :: A Little Tango in Her Blood

Alison Young: A little Tango

A. Lewis | Atlanta, GA United States | 03/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alison Young's recording, "A Little Tango in Her Blood," is a superb set of flute and piano performances of contemporary Argentine music. With rather more than just a little tango in her blood, Ms. Young performs this Argentinean program with Latin character and a silvery tone, and Vicki Seldon is her lively and sensitive collaborator on piano. Composers on this CD include well-known names, especially Ginastera and Piazzolla, and some less-familiar but mostly excellent ones.The performances are first-class in artistry and technique, while style, character, and mood provide solidly satisfying listening. The flute sound is especially gorgeous, with an lovely low register and stability of tone throughout the entire range, and one simply hears no breathing. Technical challenges abound and are fully met, but one gets a sense of an emphasis on music-making rather than virtuosity; these players are bringing us music rather than merely showing how good they are. Technique and balances are consistently excellent.Half the bands on the CD are transcriptions by Ms. Young, which would ordinarily induce some reservations for this reviewer. However these are musical, intelligent, and idiomatic transcriptions, and one would be pressed to discern which are original works and which are the transcriptions in this collection. One other fine transcription is by Enrique Granados.Piazzolla is represented, of course, by several tangos, including a very early one. And one of his last compositions, Milonga sin Palabras, Song without Words, is dedicated to his wife. A fugue, surprisingly, is in the final set of three works of this collection, by Piazzolla, Fuga y Misterio, with much rhythmic character and an unexpectedly Bachian rather than bacchanalian quality though still Latin in quality, arranged by Granados. The brief, lyrical contrasting section is lovely. The final two works are moody and dramatic.Ginastera's Impresiones de la Puna, in three movements, is an early work, dating from 1934. Arranged by Ms. Young, it has two slow movements, and a lively, rhythmic dance finale. It is fascinating and musically rewarding to hear a Ginastera quite a bit younger than the one we hear for example in his more familiar orchestral Variations Concertantes. It's like seeing early paintings by Mondrian or Picasso-so different from the later works yet with seeds of what is to come.Some splendid surprises are works by composers new to this reviewer: Angel Lasala's Poema de Pastor Coya, and Horacio Salgán's Suite Argentina and Don Agustín Bardi. Lasala's Poema is in three movements with both a singing quality and rhythmic variety. The latter composer, Salgán, has much personality and character showing through in his music. His Suite Argentina is a recording premiere and it has rhythmic interest, a danced quality, and a strong lyrical sense.The liner notes, in English and Spanish, are informative with texts of the original works when they are songs. Borges and Ferrer are amiong the poets. I warmly recommend this recording to those interested in fine flute playing, in Argentinean music, and to the general music lover.Arthur Lewis, violist; Professor emeritus, Illinois State University; Lecturer, Emory University"

Wonderful performances and quite beautiful music

Leo Greiner | Oakland CA | 02/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am very impressed by both the music selections and, more importantly, the wonderful performance. Ms. Young plays beautifully and with a true feel for the music. This, combined with an excellent musical rapport with Ms. Selden, gives a real life to these well chosen selections of Argentinian music. I highly reccomend this CD."

Getting Some Tango in Your Blood

Graham Ashmead | Cleveland, Ohio | 02/22/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Alison Young, a flute recitalist of great poise and technical security, dazzling precision and virtuosic flare and the Principle Flute of the Houston Ballet Orchestra, demonstrates her considerable talents in ALISON YOUNG ... A LITTLE TANGO IN HER BLOOD. This work on the Albany Records label takes full advantage of Alison Young's experiences in Argentina as a musician artist-in-residence in 1998, performing and teaching in the regions of Patagonia, La Plata, Buenos Aires and Corrientes. Alison Young recreates the atmosphere of the native music of Argentina in a way that will transport you to South America. Composers highlighted in this work include Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Guastavino, Alberto Ginastera, Angel Lasala, Hector Gallac and Horacio Salgan. A newspaper in Argentina (Rio Negro) reported on "...Alison Young, with a little tango in her blood" and this wonderful collection of flute pieces will surely put a little tango in your blood as well."