Gabriel Castagna, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen – Astor Piazzolla: Orchestral Works (2000) [Reissue 2003] {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz}

Astor Piazzolla become hugely popular thanks to his ‘tango nuevo’ band and his short tango pieces. This disc shows his other, more serious side in some of his symphonic music, still mostly inspired by tango rhythms and catchy tunes. It is a great joy to have this music so well recorded and performed, and if you like Piazzolla’s music, you should definitely check this one out.

Piazzolla wanted to be a ‘serious’ classical composer and ready to throw away his Argentinian musical heritage, but under the influence of Nadia Boulanger he used his tangos to create some truly original and engaging symphonic music. The best example for that is the first piece, Tangazo, which meanders between Bartok, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and many others till it turns all powers of full symphony orchestra into a truly magnificent tango-like theme. The rest is just as brilliant.
Three symphonic tangos are more like what we would expect from this composer, in a regular exchange between the orchestra and solo groups. “Milonga del Angel” is probably my favourite of all Piazzolla’s tangos, and even if it looses some of it’s edge in a full orchestral version, it gains some other aspects, it sounds HUGE and even more sensual.
Last piece, sinfonietta, is the earliest composed piece on here, from 1953, written before Boulanger’s advice. Piazzolla is exiting as ever, the music swings wildly around solo clarinet jazzy tune, with dance rhythms always present. The slow movement is a sombre grieving tune, owing much of its musical language to Bartok’s “Music for strings, percussions and celesta”. The finale is still in Bartok’s domain, but with ever present rhythmic twists and turns and unusual colours. It is definitely the piece you wouldn’t expect from a tango master.
Recording is (like all other Chandos SACDs) fantastic, orchestra’s sound is solid and detailed, stage huge (in surround), solo passages focused and clear, dynamic range natural. As I said, if you like Piazzolla and feel like exploring more, go for it. This disc is a perfect accompaniment to his chamber-tango discography.

Tracklist:
01. Tangazo: Variations on Buenos Aires
02. Tres movimientos tanguísticos porteños – Tango No. 1
03. Tres movimientos tanguísticos porteños – Tango No. 2
04. Tres movimientos tanguísticos porteños – Tango No. 3
05. Milonga del Angel
06. Sinfonietta Movt I Dramatico. Allegro marcato, un poco pesante
07. Sinfonietta Movt II Sobrio. Andantino, Poco più mosso, Tempo I
08. Sinfonietta Movt III Jubiloso. Vivace

SACD ISO

mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003SACDIS.part1.rar
mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003SACDIS.part2.rar
mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003SACDIS.part3.rar
mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003SACDIS.part4.rar

FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz

mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003FLACStere2488.2.part1.rar
mqs.link_GabrielCastangaAstrPiazzllaSymphnicWrks2000Reissue2003FLACStere2488.2.part2.rar