Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor
Four discs of key recordings by the most revered classical guitarist of our time, a great deal of debuting on CD! Disc one, “Concertos,” features works by Rodrigo, Ponce and Boccherini. Discs two and three, “Works for Solo Guitar,” include Seis Pavanas Milan; Granada Albeniz; Praeludium & Allegro De Murcia, and more. And disc four collects Segovia’s celebrated arrangements of works by J.S. Bach. Over five hours of finelooking guitar mastery!
The vastly bettered sonics which the Deutsche Grammophon production team achieves with it is 24/96 remastering of the guitarist’s 1952-1969 mono and stereo performances for Decca concede listeners to in the end experience the rich tonal palette and intimate nature of Segovia’s performance art in a manner commensurate with the fidelity of the initial LP releases (minus the edgy digital glare and graininess of the MCA reissues). What emerges is a portrait of the artisan as a lightning rod for outstanding composers, such as Manuel Ponce, Federico Torroba, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Isaac Albéniz, and Enrique Granados, all of whom enriched the 20th-century repertoire of solo and chamber works by custom-crafting works for this innovative guitarist (Segovia’s interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo’s “Fandango” is a paradigm for his role in popularizing the progressed Spanish idiom). Likewise, Segovias’s work as an arranger in recasting baroque and medieval works for modern guitar, as well as his deep positive feeling of liking for 19th-century pros of the instrument such as Dionisio Aguado and Fernando Sor, shines forth on discs two and three. However, it is Segovia’s romantic touch in transposing Bach’s Partitas for Solo Violin–as on his virtuoso turns on the “Chaconne in D Minor”–that best illustrate his poetic conception of the instrument. –Chip Stern
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Image
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Picture
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Pic
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Photo
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Picture
Art Of Fugue 1 17 Partita In C Minor Pic
Most helpful customer reviews
101 of 102 people found the following review helpful.
 beautiful selection of the decca segovia
By drollere
there probably wasn’t a classical guitarist alive in the 1950′s and 60′s who didn’t know by heart all of segovia’s decca albums and julian bream’s spectacular recordings for rca and westminster. this set will be a stroll down memory lane for everyone with segovia schott editions in the attic, and essential listening for anyone interested in the classical guitar or in discovering a genuine musical genius — the equal on his instrument of casals, rubenstein or heifitz on theirs.
segovia literally created the 20th century classical guitar out of an instrument with a cachet not far above the banjo. the booklet to the boxed set gives a fine overview of segovia’s career and recording practice, though omitting many key details. (segovia innovated guitar concerts in large concert halls because he was among the first to use his fingernails, rather than bare fingertips, to pluck the strings, and pushed guitar makers to build larger, brighter and more sonorous instruments.)
each of the 4 separately cased cds generously samples (up to 80 minutes each) from (1) the guitar concerto; (2) 20th century compositions dedicated to segovia; (3) pieces for lute, vihuela and 19th century guitar, with some albeniz transcriptions thrown in; and (4) segovia’s transcriptions of pieces by j.s. bach.
the digital sound in these recordings (almost all from the 1950′s) is really superb, giving contour to every detail of the master tapes. it also reveals the changing recording standards of the early lp: though the sound is consistently vivid and balanced, the guitar is sometimes distant and echoy (a “tile bathroom” sound characteristic of the earliest lp’s), or intimate but slightly muffled, or bright and contrasty with a hint of added reverb at the top. i was a little taken aback by the uneven dynamics and nail clatter that i hadn’t noticed years ago in segovia’s playing: modern recording and performance practice have changed expectations toward a more homogenous and finished sound. but there is a spontaneity, fire, grace, color, imagination and wit in segovia’s playing that you won’t find anywhere else … well, excepting julian bream.
it’s picky to second guess editorial decisions in a set as generous as this … but what the heck: i really missed tansman’s lovely suite of polish dances (“cavatina”), regretted the absence of a complete sonata or suite by manuel ponce, and would trade the boccherini “guitar” (transcribed cello) concerto for the castelnuovo-tedesco guitar concerto. that said, the performances here of rodrigo’s “fantasia para un gentilhombre” and ponce’s “concerto del sur” are among the best available, and the generous sampling sor etudes will remind all us graying guitarists of the many happy hours we spent practicing these pieces from the only edition then available — segovia’s own.
deutsche grammaphon has also released a 2-cd set of segovia recordings (“the art of andres segovia”), which duplicates only four pieces from this 4-cd boxed set, and veers more toward colorful transcriptions and single movement selections from longer works. together they make a 6 cd collection of many of the finest recordings by the man who started it all, spawned thousands of heirs and imitators — and set the bar for them very, very high.
61 of 62 people found the following review helpful.
There’s Only One Segovia
By John L. Anderson
This is the PERFECT retrospective boxed set. DG has outdone itself with this career retrospective of Spanish classical guitar legend Andres Segovia. The set was released on the 15th anniversary of Segovia’s death in 1987. From the famous “Fantasia para un gentilhombre” to transcriptions of J.S. Bach for the guitar, all four CDs showcase nothing but the genius of Segovia. The remastered DG recordings sound terrific and the accompanying booklet, complete with photographs from throughout the master’s life in Spain, is excellent. If you love Spanish classical guitar and adore the 19th-Century romantic style of playing championed by Segovia, buy this set. You won’t be disappointed. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
34 of 39 people found the following review helpful.
The Great Master, of Masters
By Joxim G.P.
Andrés Segovia was the great master of classical guitar. This set show us 400 years of music taken for the guitar, he was the first in give the guitar place like a cult instrument in 20th century through his works invaluable transcriptions of several instruments (cello, lute, etc.) of composers like Bach, Dowland, Manuel M. Ponce, Fernando Sor, Tárrega, etc.
See all 7 customer reviews…
|