Search - Carlos Chavez, Alberto Ginastera, Heitor Villa-Lobos :: Latin American Ballets

Enchanted Birds, Bach-ian Tangos, and Gaucho Bravura

Andrew Dickinson | Austin, TX USA | 08/12/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is perhaps the most satisfying CD purchase I've made, bar none. If that seems excessive, well, O.K., it is. BUT, this disc is phenomenal, and for a lover of Latin-American classical music, its a must. The ballet Uirapuru cemented my view that Villa-Lobos is one of the most phenomenal orchestrators. Uirapuru is a dark, mystical score that tells the story of an enchanted rainforest bird who turns into a man, who falls in love with a madien, but then gets shot by an angry old flute-playing man with a bow who's upset because some hunters beat him up because he wierded them out. Well, the story may be somewhat silly, but the music is unsettlingly powerful, with glittering orchestration that is masterfully highlighted by Mata's superb Venezuelan players. Chavez's Horse-Power suite is fascinating in a much more visceral way, with a mix of neo-classical wit and chugging latin rhythms. The closing movement, 'El Tropico', far surpasses the Pat Benatar album of the same name, and weaves intricate Bach-ian counterpoint into a darkly sentimental yet energizing tango. The final selection, by far the most well known, is Ginastera's popular Estancia ballet suite. For those who DON'T know the piece, be prepared for blistering 6/8 rhythms and exhilirating syncopations (a mainstay for Ginastera works). The performances are phenomenal, and totally committed. Dorian (who have put out a number of excellent CD's surveying important Latin-American repertoire) provides top-shelf sound, as usual. O.K., so maybe it's not the BEST CD EVER, but it's close."