Search - Sor, Granados, Feasley :: Echoes of Goya

Great idea

Steven E. Bornfeld | Brooklyn, NY | 02/01/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The conceit is music associated one way or another with the great artist Francisco Goya. Stylistically it ranges from early 19th century Fernando Sor to the prominent modern composer and educator Angelo Gilardino.

The idea works very well as a concept, and I think it would work as well as a recital program.

Unfortunately, William Feasley cannot really pull it off. Some of this music is very technically difficult, and Feasley often finds himself on very thin ice. Anyone who has heard Julian Bream's recording of transcriptions of Albeniz and Granados is bound to be disappointed (for example) by Feasley's renderings of excerpts from

"Goyescas".

Still, as an intermediate guitarist who could stand to learn more about repertoire, finding the "Caprichos de Goya" by Castelnuovo-Tedesco was a delight.

I would recommend this album to anyone who would appreciate a well-constructed program of interesting music, who is not going to be put off by the more than occasional clams and errors."