Guastavino: Complete Piano Music / Martin Jones

$32.99
Label
Nimbus
Release Date
March 1, 2008
Format
Added to Cart! View cart or continue shopping.


    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      GUASTAVINO, CARLOS
    • PERFORMER
      Martin Jones
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      March 01, 2008
    • UPC
      710357581823
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      NI5818
    • LABEL
      Nimbus
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      3
    • GENRE
      Instrumental
    Works ⌄

    1. Gato

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    2. Bailecito

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    3. Tierra linda

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    4. I. Allegretto

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    5. II. Lento muy espressivo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    6. III. Presto

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    7. I. Allegretto intimo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    8. II. Scherzo: Molto vivace

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    9. III. Recitativo: Lento - Molto allegro

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    10. IV. Fuga y Final: Allegro

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    11. No. 1. Movimento

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    12. No. 2. Retama

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    13. No. 3. Danza

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    14. Estilo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    15. No. 1. El Patio

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    16. No. 2. El Sauce

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    17. No. 3. Gorriones

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    18. Pampeano

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    19. La tarde en rincon

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    20. Las ninas

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    21. Romance de Cuyo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    22. No. 1. La Dama Dama

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    23. No. 2. La flor de cana

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    24. No. 3. Rimoron

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    25. No. 4. Margarita

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    26. No. 5. Bordando para la reina

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    27. No. 6. Una nina bonita

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    28. No. 7. Cuantas estrellas

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    29. No. 8. Un domingo de manana

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    30. No. 9. La torre

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    31. No. 10. En un coche va la nina

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    32. No. 1. … Santa Fe para llorar

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    33. No. 2. Adolescencia

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    34. No. 3. Jacaranda

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    35. No. 4. El Ceibo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    36. No. 5. Abelarda Olmos

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    37. No. 6. Juanita

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    38. No. 7. Herbert

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    39. No. 8. Santa Fe antiguo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    40. No. 9. Trebol

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    41. No. 10. La casa

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    42. No. 1. La nina del rio dulce

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    43. No. 2. El chico que vino del Sur

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

    44. Pueblito, mi pueblo (version for piano)

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    45. No. 1. Loduvina

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    46. No. 2. Ortega

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    47. No. 3. Federico Ignacio Cespedes

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    48. No. 4. Mariana

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    49. No. 5. Horacio Lavalle

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    50. No. 1. Luisito, de la calle Concordia

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    51. No. 2. Nelly, de la calle Rio IV

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    52. No. 3. Ismael, de la calle Teodoro Garcia

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    53. No. 4. Pablo, del Aeroparque

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    54. No. 5. Fermina, de la calle Aranguren

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    55. No. 6. Gabriel, de la calle Andonaegui

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    56. No. 7. Alberto, de la calle Posadas

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    57. No. 8. Casandra, de la calle Galileo

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    58. No. 9. Damian, de la calle Malabia

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    59. No. 10. Alina, de la calle Lacroze

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    60. No. 1. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    61. No. 2. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    62. No. 3. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    63. No. 4. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    64. No. 5. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    65. No. 6. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    66. No. 7. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    67. No. 8. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    68. No. 9. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones

    69. No. 10. —

      Composer: Carlos Guastavino

      Performer: Martin Jones


Simple delight in well-crafted, unpretentious music-making.

These three CDs present, in almost chronological order, the complete piano music of a composer who will, I imagine, be unfamiliar to most readers. Carlos Guastavino was born in Santa Fé, the capital of the northern Argentine province of the same name. After studies at home and in Buenos Aires he achieved international recognition as a pianist, touring South America, the USSR and China, and giving broadcasts on the BBC in London. His musical language is firmly rooted in tradition, believing that music should be firmly based on singable melodies and tonal harmony and written for us now, not for the discovery of future generations.

The first three pieces are delightful. A fast dance, a slow atmospheric piece and a dedication to beautiful earth, beautiful country (Tierra Linda), a phrase often used to refer to Argentina itself, get this set off to a fine start. Easily approachable, delightful to listen to, difficult to play, Guastavino has the vernacular of his country’s music at his fingertips.

The Sonatina in G minor is a light hearted piece. Already Guastavino has started to simplify his style and the sheer exuberance of the finale is a joy. The Sonata of two years later is more serious in substance but equally easy going in language, and is only let down by a rather banal fugue in the middle of the finale, but a return to the colloquial material redeems this. And so it goes for this first CD.

The second CD contains two sets of ten pieces each. The Diez Preludios are well characterized pieces, being free, and simple, settings of children’s songs and very attractive they are too. Very short, they leave you wanting more. The Diez Cantilenas Argentinas which follow are much bigger pieces, more nationalistic in feel. The tempi are, in general, leisurely and the composer takes his time to make his point. These are lovely pieces, abstract in feel with a thicker texture than the Preludios, and much more filigree writing.

The final CD starts with a shock. Here is some strong, individual music, obviously from the same hand as the earlier pieces but with more character. Until now I was beginning to wonder if Guastavino’s style developed and was most pleasingly surprised with these Tres Romances Nuevos (Three New Romances), although there are only two! Pueblito, mu pueblo, Cancion Argentina is a step backwards, being a later arrangement of a very early song, but with Las Presencias (Appearances) and Mis Amigos (My Friends) we reach Guastavino’s mature style, and most attractive it is. These fifteen short pieces are portraits of friends (some imaginary!) and they are light and delicate, full of colour and a real feel for the south. It really was worth waiting for these prizes. The final set of Popular Songs presents the most effective treatment of simple material with a childlike effortlessness.

If you’re expecting highly rhythmic, heavily accented Argentinian music of the Ginastera type, or the slinky, sexy tangos of the great Astor Piazzolla then this is not for you. What Guastavino gives us is South America through a late 19th – early 20th century European compositional style, but with the voice of the Americas always to the fore. This is not a set for playing from start to finish in one sitting, but there’s enough music of interest, and variety within the small style, here for many enjoyable visits.

Martin Jones is a fine, and always reliable, pianist so I have no doubt that his performances are of the first order, they certainly sound most authoritative - I have never seen the music so am relying entirely on my ears! - and I suspect the thoroughly enjoyed himself when recording these most enjoyable works.

The booklet is excellent, Calum MacDonald’s twelve pages of biography and discussion of the music are all one could want in helping you through music which is new to you.

Well worth having for the simple delight in solid, well crafted and unpretentious compositions and music making.

-- Bob Briggs, MusicWeb International