Search - Rodrigo, Valdes :: Complete Orchestral Works 1

Delightful

David Saemann | 01/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Maximiano Valdes is a good conductor. I live in New Jersey, where Valdes was up for the job of music director of the Symphony Orchestra in the '90's. The main work on this disc is Soleriana. It is one of Rodrigo's series of works, including Fantasia for a Gentleman, that is based on the works of earlier composers, in this case Padre Antonio Soler. It proceeds in short sections, and is reminiscent of Respighi's La Boutique Fantasque, his ballet based on Rossini. The orchestra plays this beautifully, and although the string sound is not especially rich, the whole is caught in very convincing sound engineering. The other works are interesting if less tuneful, but Soleriana is the main attraction of this disc."