Search - Heitor Villa-Lobos, Astor Piazzolla, Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann :: South American Getaway

South American Getaway
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Astor Piazzolla, Wilhelm Kaiser-Lindemann
South American Getaway
Genres: International Music, Special Interest, Pop, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1

Who knew that the solid, staid old Berlin Philharmonic had such a groovy group of swingers in its cello section? One of them plays the maracas during the rests in his part, others slap their instruments with abandon, a...  more »

     
?

Larger Image

CD Details


Synopsis

Amazon.com
Who knew that the solid, staid old Berlin Philharmonic had such a groovy group of swingers in its cello section? One of them plays the maracas during the rests in his part, others slap their instruments with abandon, and some of them even shout at appropriate moments: if this makes them sound like trainspotters letting their hair down, it's not meant to. This recording of South American and South American-inspired music is full of joy from beginning to end, and played with the kind of accuracy other ensembles only dream of. The mood ranges from sultry and sweaty (Kaiser-Lindemann's Brazilian Variations) through coolly intellectual (the Fugue from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1) to pure sunshine (Burt Bacharach's "South American Getaway"). The arrangements are models of their kind, and the cellists respond to their challenges with bravura and passion--at times creating sounds remarkably like a bandonéon, at others producing perfect harmonics in octaves or just singing out with pure joy. Irresistibly seductive. --Warwick Thompson
 

CD Reviews

Lovely music lovingly played
F. Behrens | Keene, NH USA | 06/27/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some music, as Bacon wrote about books, is to be merely tasted and others digested. Many people ask me for music that can be played at parties (loud ones or sedate, indoors or out?), but seldom for music that stimulates the little gray cells. A recent EMI release falls sort of between the two poles. 7243 5 5656981 2) features the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic and soprano Juliane Banse performing some unfamiliar (to most of us) works by Villa-Lobos, Kaiser-Lindemann, Piazolla, Granda, Ben, Salgan, and Bacharach (!). For me, the highlight is the beautifully sung Aria and Danca from the "Bachianas Brasleiras No. 5." Ms. Bancer's other vocal contribution is "The Kid in Blue Jeans" which is very reminiscent of the "girl on the curb" songs with which Piaf used to break your heart. All in all, this is a lovely offering and the texts of the songs are included in the usual several languages."
Stellar
F. Behrens | 11/18/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow - It's the cello-section of the Berlin Philharmonic, ok, so I expected a lot, but still this CD blew my ears off. What a performance! What a rare symbiosis of refined music making and unhalted moods and passion. Often, with lesser ensembles, passion is misunderstood as edgyness, even loudness... Not with these guys, and still, you hear every bit of emotion your supposed to hear. All pieces all my favorites, ALL of them, no exception. Juliane Banse is captivating, and together this gang of music makers is unstoppable. Legend has it that even the old von Karajan approved their performances (the Maestro in the Salzburg audience!). I am sure that these days also Sir Simon will concur..."
Before coming Caracas
Naotaka MORITA | Caracas, Venezuela | 05/20/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am in Caracas with the MD of this disc. I have been a fun of this team, and at this time, this disc gives me a right guidance to South America. The style of the play fits quite well for the Latin music. One remark is that if you buy this CD in Japan, you can hear another marvellous Soplano."