Valuable Collection | The Great Guitar Concertos | Antonio Vivaldi, Joaquin Rodrigo, ...

The one-stop listen for guitar concertos | The Great Guitar Concertos | Antonio Vivaldi, Joaquin Rodrigo, ...

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	• The Great Guitar Concertos Antonio Vivaldi, Joaquin Rodrigo, ... Sony, 1990 average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Extremely Pleasant.

You can't go wrong with this double disc set. John Williams is among the finest living classical guitar virtuosi today. His harmonics are similar to that of the great Christopher Parkening, and his style of playing is clearly influenced by Andres Sergovia. Then again, who hasn't Sergovia influenced? Buy it.

Valuable Collection

I wish NPR stations would play these and other great guitar music more than they do. Good thing it's available on CD. Starting off with Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major, I much prefer the recording on Williams' Seville Concert CD. The same goes for the Aranjuez Adagio. I also prefer Paco de Lucia's performance of the Aranjuez allegro movements. Aranjuez seems to just keep getting more legendary with each new recording from just about every guitar master. I like Rodrigo's "Fantasia" almost as much as Aranjuez, but I like Pepe Romero's version just as much or even a little more than Williams'. I'm not that crazy about the few Castelnuovo-Tedesco's compositions that I've heard, but I find that his concerto on this CD is exceptional, both in melody and theme development.

Vivaldi again starts off CD number 2 with a somewhat pleasant concerto. The Giuliani Concerto is an outstanding work that blends beautifully the classical orchestra and the guitar. Furthermore, the guitar comes through loud and clear, overcoming the usual problem of the orchestra drowning out the guitar. I'm not sure if the mike was placed at just the right position for the guitar or what. In any case, it sounds fabulous. I'm luke warm toward the Villa-Lobos Concerto but find the very beginning of the second movement mesmerizing. As with Castelnuovo-Tedesco, few pieces from Ponce inspire me; however, "Concierto del Sur" is a surprisingly captivating concerto with its lyrical qualities and dynamics. Moreover, the third movement ends with an exciting bang. This CD was well worth the price of a double CD collection.

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The one-stop listen for guitar concertos

I was a bit hesitant about buying this because of the price, but after listening a few times and hearing the all-around excellent quality (compositions, performance, recording), I consider this the same type of bargain as when I had purchased the Beethoven Symphony cycle conducted by Herbert von Karajan (DG 29036).

These two cds also make for a good listening avenue for those who are interested in guitar but may be unfamiliar with "classical" music. In fact, it was Pat Metheny's "Secret Story" that inspired me to listen to music beyond "jazz" and become more receptive to orchestral music. And I view compositions, such as Ponce's "Concierto Del Sur", Villa-Lobos's "Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra" and Rodrigo's "Concierto De Aranjuez" as good second steps to the appreciation of guitar with orchestral music.

When I think about what attracts me to this music and the playing of John Williams, I think of two words: virtuosity and humility; the idea of being excellent as a guitar player, but aware of being part of an overarching theme of which he is only one out of many musicians who bring it to fruition.

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Tracks
Lute (Chamber) Concerto, for lute (or guitar), 2 violins & continuo in D major, RV 93: 1. Allegro | Lute (Chamber) Concerto, for lute (or guitar), 2 violins & continuo in D major, RV 93: 2. Largo | Lute (Chamber) Concerto, for lute (or guitar), 2 violins & continuo in D major, RV 93: 3. Allegro | Concierto de Aranjuez, for guitar & orchestra: 1. Allegro con spirito | Concierto de Aranjuez, for guitar & orchestra: 2. Adagio | Concierto de Aranjuez, for guitar & orchestra: 3. Allegro gentile | Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar & orchestra: 1. Villano y Ricercare: Adagietto; Andante moderato | Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar & orchestra: 2. Espanoleta y Fanfare de la Caballeria de Napoles: Adagio; Allegretto, molto | Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar & orchestra: 3. Danza de las Hachas: Allegro con brio | Fantasía para un gentilhombre, for guitar & orchestra: 4. Canario: Allegro ma non troppo | Concerto for guitar & orchestra No. 1 in D major, Op. 99: 1. Allegretto | Concerto for guitar & orchestra No. 1 in D major, Op. 99: 2. Andantino alla romanza | Concerto for guitar & orchestra No. 1 in D major, Op. 99: 3. Ritmico e cavalleresco | Guitar Concerto, for guitar, strings & continuo in A major (arranged from Trio Sonata in C major, RV 82): 1. Allegro non molto | Guitar Concerto, for guitar, strings & continuo in A major (arranged from Trio Sonata in C major, RV 82): 2. Larghetto | Guitar Concerto, for guitar, strings & continuo in A major (arranged from Trio Sonata in C major, RV 82): 3. Allegro | Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): 1. Allegro maestoso | Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): 2. Andantino siciliano | Guitar Concerto No. 1 in A major, Op. 30 (versions for guitar & orch; gt. & string quartet): 3. Alla polacca | Guitar Concerto, A. 501: 1. Allegro preciso | Guitar Concerto, A. 501: 2. Andantino e andante; Cadenza | Guitar Concerto, A. 501: 3. Allegretto non troppo | Concierto del sur for guitar & orchestra: 1. Allegretto | Concierto del sur for guitar & orchestra: 2. Andante | Concierto del sur for guitar & orchestra: 3. Allegro moderato e festivo