29 of 29 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb performances, superb sound quality, Mar 27 2002
By Gontroppo "Music and Theology Lover" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: 1975 Favourite Spanish Encore (Audio CD)
This is a wonderful CD! De Larrocha delivers some great performances of many well-known Spanish favourites, some of which you may recognise more by the sound than the title.
The solo piano pieces include Albeniz' Sevilla:sevillanas, which I am sure you will recognise, his Tango and a popular Malagueña.
Granados' Spanish Dance No 5 [sometimes known by other titles] is sensitively performed.
Albeniz' grandfather, Mateo's D major Sonata is the opening track. This music will be recognised by Australian music lovers as the theme music for Margaret Throsby's wonderful music and interview program.
The Montsalvatge Brief Concerto is a most exciting feature of the recording.
Highly recommended. Stunning sound quality.
5.0 out of 5 stars
inimitable gems by a master of interpretation, Mar 20 2012
By jsa - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: 1975 Favourite Spanish Encore (Audio CD)
This disc is as good as any other in demonstrating why Alicia De Larrocha probably did more than any other pianist to bring recognition to the music of Spain's great composers. Even though De Larrocha ended up with a big career and recorded plenty of the standard repertoire, it was her recordings of Turina, Albeniz, Granados, Falla, and Mompou that stand as monuments to her greatness. And this disc is a perfect representation of her art. Each of the short solo pieces in this program is shaped into an inimitable gem by a master of interpretation. Only Rubinstein, another great exponent of Spanish piano music, could equal De Larrocha - but practically all that he recorded fits on a single disc: (Rubinstein Collection 18: Music Of Spain).
My only quibble is the inclusion of Xavier Montsalvatge's "Concerto Breve," a three movement work for piano and orchestra - a fine piece, but that's tacked onto an album that the pianist programmed to flow in a certain way. Better that the reissue producer should have added some of the gorgeous Mompou among other things that De Larrocha recorded for London.
In any case, this is a perfect introduction to Spanish piano music for the uninitiated and for veteran listeners too.