Fiesta

“One happy consequence of the Bolívar Orchestra's ascendancy is that Latin American repertoire previously known to connoisseurs has gained circulation… the one widely acknowledged masterpiece, Sensemayá by Silvestre Revueltas, which emulates The Rise of Spring in its sound but has its own Mexican character. Dudamel paces it beautifully, slow enough for the energetic strings and forthright brass to have maximum effect as it builds up.” --BBC Music Magazine, July 2008 ****

Gramophone Magazine Disc of the Month - August 2008
Gramophone Awards 2008 Finalist - Orchestral

  

“As music writers, we often twist ourselves into a pretzel trying to define what makes one interpretation superior to the next, but there's something about this performance that just is. …it's the infectious hardcore Latin spirit that, once sampled, stayed embedded in your imagination.” --Gramophone Magazine, August 2008

“A disc devoted to works by Venezuelan, Mexican and Argentinian composers (along with the Latin American-inspired Mambo from Bernstein’s West Side Story) might seem too much of a good thing, but the spirit of the performances is infectious and the music will appeal to a much wider audience than just concert-goers. The highlight here is the Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera’s brilliantly orchestrated Dances from the Ballet, Estancia (Ranch), a sort of Latin American response to Copland’s Rodeo. The Bernstein rounds off the “fiesta” in rollicking style. The verve and enthusiasm of these remarkable young musicians more than compensate for some less than inspired scores and rough edges in the playing.” --Sunday Times, 22nd June 2008 ***

“I am not sure anything quite like Gustavo Dudamel and his extraordinary group of young musicians have ever hit the Proms before. Whatever you have read about the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra can't convey the brilliance and disarming exuberance of their playing” --Andrew Clements, The Guardian

“There is, as expected, plenty of energy on display, from the young musicians as much as from the music itself, but there is also repose and atmosphere. Ultimately, though, it is the festive that wins out. The whole disc...is a celebration of youthful talent.” --The Telegraph, 5th July 2008

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Ginastera & Boïeldieu: Harp Concertos

This disc explores that rarity of the classical repertoire, the harp concerto. The musical characteristics of the harp can provide somewhat of a challenge for the composer if writing a concerto for the instrument, but this disc boasts two wonderful examples that show seemingly endless possibilities.

Frenchman François-Adrien Boïeldieu (1775--1834) was probably best-known for his 40 operas, but after developing a close friendship with Sébastien Érard, the piano maker -- who was investigating and implementing improvements to the harp mechanism -- Boïeldieu began to write pieces for the harp. With the lyricism of the instrument showcased in the second movement Andante, over slow-moving strings, and fast finger-work dominating the Allegro agitato finale, Boïeldieu's concerto stands in marked contrast to that of Alberta Ginastera's. Here, after a fiery, almost aggressive opening few bars, the music gradually progresses towards the eerie chromaticism in the second movement. An extended virtuosic solo cadenza then marks the beginning of the finale, in which a series of tense chords hail the abrupt ending of the piece.

The concertos are performed by Jutta Zoff, who was at the peak of her glittering career at the time of recording. The German harpist had been a favourite soloist of the Staatskapelle Dresden since 1967 and enjoyed tours of Europe, the USA and the Middle East. The orchestra is conducted by Siegfried Kurz.

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