Sharon Isbin

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Sharon Isbin knows how to pick classical guitar works just about as well as she knows how to play them (which is to say, exceptionally well). On her Grammy Award-winning Dreams of a World, she explored folksy classical guitar works from around the world. On this disc, the music of two guitar concerto world premieres is less-familiar and just as exciting. Christopher Rouse's Concerto de Gaudi for Guitar and Orchestra is rooted in the Spanish idiom, but it has numerous twists and turns. Isbin gets plenty of tricky solo flights here, but the piece also features some truly explosive brass and percussion moments reminiscent of orchestral works by Ives and Revueltas. Tan Dun's commission for Isbin is less structured; there's plenty of improvisation where the guitarist is required to use tremolo to make her instrument sound like a Chinese lute, or p'i-p'a. Again, you'll hear the influence of Spanish composers, though you never lose the influence of Eastern tonalities in Tan Dun's Impressionistic work. It's a fantastic showcase for Isbin's talents, though not necessarily a piece you'll want to hear every day. These live recordings boast great sonics, and the Gulbenkian Orchestra is in fine form. --Jason Verlinde

Tracks:

Allegro Con Spirto
Adagio
Allegro Gentile
Allegro Preciso
Andantino E Andante
Allegretto Non Troppo
Allegretto
Andante
Allegro Moderate E Festivo

Customer Reviews:

One tiny mistake.......2007-03-09

The only regret is that in the liner
notes, the names of composers Manuel Ponce
and Heitor Villa-Lobos are misslabeled in their pictures
thought you should know that; otherewise
the recording is great outstanding work
of Isbin and the New Yorkers, Serebrier is
just as great as always...

Concierto de Aranjuez.......2007-01-24

Wanted the concert from Jackson Hole. This isn't it. Not so hot.

A very solid recording.......2005-11-14

Sharon Isbin gives a phenominal performance on this album. All three concertos are excecuted very well. One of the biggest things that I enjoy about Aranjuez on this CD is that the guitar never gets covered up by the orchestra. I have listened to recordings of Aranjuez and not known that certain passages were even in the guitar part until I saw someone perform the concerto live. This is a great recording because it gives you three essential guitar concertos on one recording executed by world class musicians.

The Rodrigo concerto is without a doubt the most important and famous composition involving a guitar in the entire classical repertory. However, of the three concertos on this recording, Aranjuez is probably the weakest one on the disc. Isbin's tone gets a little to naily and clicky sometimes on this piece. Some of the runs in the first movement are a little sloppy and the cadenza in the second movement is a little over dramatic and the climax of the cadenza is very harsh. However, from the standpoint of sheer musical interpretation, it is probably one of the best interpretations of Aranjuez I've ever hear. Isbin adds little details to the piece that make it much more exciting.

The Villa-Lobos is very exciting. It seems that Isbin cleans up her technique a little by this point. The Ponce is brilliant as well. Words cannot describe the amazing execution of these pieces. I also cannot give as much critism to these pieces because I don't know them as well as the Rodrigo. Overall, this is a very solid recording. It is probably the best classical guitar recording of the year.

Recommended.......2005-07-16

Superlative version of the "Concierto de Aranjuez". The only caveat is a few too many fireworks in a cadenza in the otherwise beautiful second movement. Since it is slightly overwrought, though this album is a must for guitar lovers, it shouldn't be the only recording of this piece in one's collection. Try balancing it with the less emotional Christopher Parkening version.

Worthy of a Grammy nomination, at the very least!?!.......2005-02-15

I'm sure that Sharon Isbin does not exactly live for Grammy Awards, although they certainly don't hurt a performer's career. However, it is astonishing to me that her collaboration in this recording with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Jose Serebrier was not seen fit to merit at least a nomination for the 2005 awards. I'm sure that all of the nominees and the winner (announced the previous night) gave fine performances, but they could not have been any more compelling than this one.

I've heard many recordings of classical guitar with orchestra, and none that I have heard surpass this one. It is true that Isbin made a previous recording of the Rodrigo in 1989 with Lawrence Foster and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra that received critical acclaim and that Rodrigo himself praised her performance then as among the very best. However, that earlier recording contained one major flaw: the guitar was apparently not miked separately from the orchestra. As a result, the orchestra often covered her playing to an annoying degree. (If the guitar did have its own miking, the engineers did not bother to use it when they created the master.)

The current recording of the Rodrigo has all of the artistry of that first recording and none of its defects. The presence of both guitar and orchestra is, indeed, intimate. As a result, so much more of her interplay with the orchestra, as well as her unmatched range of color and dynamics, not to say technical brilliance, stand out brilliantly.

Sharon is, perhaps, unique among guitarists recording today in coming closest to the expressive range found only in Segovia, even to the point of almost matching his apparently unmatchably warm vibrato. And Segovia unfortunately never had a recording this magnificent in detail and presence to pass on to us. If you consider that Segovia is never known to have played Rodrigo's "Concierto De Aranjuez," then I would not hesitate in suggesting that this recording gives you an excellent idea of how he might have played it (along with more of his unique vibrato).

The other two works on the recording are equally brilliant. The Villa-Lobos surprises (I had not heard it before), and the Ponce, again, is a very close match to Segovia's own matchless recording of that piece.

In truth, Sharon Isbin brings her own unique qualities, including a steadier sense of tempo that stands apart from Segovia's famously self-determining (and remarkably effective) tempi. With more recordings like this, and a personal and professional generosity that stands apart, her name may yet be uttered in the same breath as that of the formerly unsurpassable Segovia.

So, what did happen to that Grammy nomination?

Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar

Average customer rating:

Warmth
Likely to Become Bach Favorite for Guitar

Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar

Manufacturer: Warner Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur
Journey to the Amazon
Dreams of a World
Greatest Hits
Latin Romances for Guitar

ASIN: B00008CLIT
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

Allegro
Largo
Allegro
Allegro
Andante
Allegro Assai
Adagio
Allegro Non Molto (Quasi Andante)
Larghetto
Allegro
Adagio
Prelude For Lute In D Minor BWV 999
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

Customer Reviews:

Warmth.......2005-08-16

Kudo's to Ms. Isbin, her masterful playing brings warmth to the classical pieces thus removing the pretense and stiffness generally assoicated with classical music

Likely to Become Bach Favorite for Guitar.......2003-04-29

I've always enjoyed Parkening and others who do Bach on the guitar. Here, noted classic guitarist Isbin provides a beautifully crafted and performed set of baroque favs on guitar.

She plays with controlled passion and clarity, and to my ear her Bach is even more clean and phrased superior to Parkening's.

The selection is well chosen, with great addition to instrument's reportoire of Vivaldi's Concerto in A major.

I find her Albioni's Adagio very well done! The dynamics are well done as well as tempo in this spirited rendiiton.

Tracks:

Virgillo
Cancion
Danza No. 1
Fantasia
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair
Darling Cora
Putney Hymn
Finale
Londonderry Air
Agua E Vinho
Romanza
Brisas Del Torbes
Canto Siboney
Preludio No. 6: Dolor
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Four Songs: Of Sting And Honey - Tomorrow - Jerusalem Of Gold - Spy Girl
One Day In May
You Have Set My Star
Varre Vento
Dedicatoria

Amazon.com

This disc is obviously aimed at the world-music audience, if one judges from its title and the subtitle, "Folk-Inspired Music for Guitar." But that shouldn't dissuade listeners interested in more serious music. Isbin has collected original pieces and arrangements from Spain, Latin America, Appalachia, Ireland, Israel, and Greece--all of them quite lovely. It's really amazing to hear, for example, the "Londonderry Air," better known as "Danny Boy," in such a sympathetic arrangement by the late Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. She plays with such technical mastery that you wind up taking it for granted, while appreciating her songful delivery of this highly varied program of music, which was mostly first intended for the human voice. The uncommonly attractive booklet, including photos of Isbin as a world traveler, is another asset to this fine program, as is Teldec's realistic recorded sound. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

"Dreams of a World": A Dialogue..........2005-03-28

I was introduced to Ms. Isbin's music this winter during a trip when a friend had "Dreams of a World" on for 3 days straight, dawn to dusk. Typically, after listening to the same CD twice, one gets bored or annoyed. Yet, this was not the case; on the contrary "Dreams of a World" warmed us up --it was delicately beautiful. Ms. Isbin employs an astonishing pallet of colors, which she blends with unprecedented technical mastery and imaginative nuances throughout her oeuvre.

Cancion y danza for guitar, Agua E Vinho Mahar and Yerushala'im shel zahav are pieces which can easily be overly sentimental and languorous. Ms. Isbin keeps a pleasant balance between the melancholy in her phrasing, the underlying dynamism of her voice
and the warm character of the pieces. I can only recommend Dreams of a World to anyone in search of high quality music played by an artist, not merely a technician.

Dreams with raw emotions. .......2005-01-24

This is one of my all time favorite CD. When critics call Sharon Isbin the "Monet of the guitar" or the "preeminent guitarist of our time" they only begin do justice to her mastery of the instrument. On this CD my favorite pieces are Agua E Vinho, Cancíon y danza for guitar, Recuerdos de la Alhambra. They are superbly played; they are flawless, passionate ,very moving. I cannot help feeling transcend when listening to Dreams of a World. Ms. Isbin does more than play nice music from all over the world; in this CD she shares her heartfelt dreams of a world.

I highly recommend Dreams of a World.

Still a dream ..........2004-12-26

This has long been my favorite classical guitar recording, and I just put it on again after hearing another recent favorite recording ("Reflections of Spain") played by David Russell, who is perhaps the most gifted contemporary guitarist on record. I was inspired to do so by Russell's performance of the "Cancion y Danza No. 1" by Antonio Ruiz-Pipo, which though quite excellent, I knew right away was quite different from Isbin's take on the same piece.

First, let me say, I hope that they are good friends, because they are both landmark musicians and worthy "competitors." Both clearly play with absolute love for both the music and the instrument. In short, I prefer Isbin's recording of the Pipo "Danza," even though, overall, Russell's playing is technically cleaner and more facile (but not by much). (Across his entire CD, I recall barely any string noise from Russell, where as Isbin manages a mere dozen or so clear such imperfections across her entire and ample CD; big deal).

I think the thing that draws me to Isbin in this piece (and her CD, in general) is her incredible variety of rhythm, attack, and tone color, all of which combine to give an impression of near perfect balance between spontaneity and precision. She has a way of taking time without the slightest sense of delay or heaviness. This is probably because her tempo never changes, only the rhythm around it, which is a classic hallmark of rhythmic mastery. This means that she hears and feels, both deeply and objectively, every moment of "sound and space" (notes and rest) from beginning to end, like an unbroken line painted across a master's canvas. Combined with this, she uses the space between her bridge and finger board to elicit the most amazing contrasts in tone color (one of the great contributions of Segovia to the art).

Russell plays with equal mastery of rhythm and attack, perhaps aided by the remarkable sonic depth built into his guitar. While he makes maximum use of that wonderful guitar sound, he is somewhat less dramatic in his changes of volume and tone color between phrases, aiming for a more consistent and lyrical quality, certainly another aim of mastery in itself, but there in lies the difference. Still, his sharp shaping of phrases, especially in his choice of Spanish music on his entire CD, with that impeccable technique behind it, weaves a spell all its own.

So, even though Russell's is among the finest pure Spanish musical CDs available, and one of my favorite in that genre (musical realm), I still have to give my nod to Isbin's multi-national effort for its unmatched ability to conjure, especially today, the most sublime dreams of a better world.

An Elegant Journey Around The World.......2004-07-09

From the moment I put this CD on my player to the time the CD ended, I was transfixed. This CD is such a delight to the ears, that it is difficult to put into words the emotions experienced while listening. I attended a NY Philharmonic performance several weeks ago with guest soloist Sharon Isbin. Her live performance was mesmerizing. She did an encore performance of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" which took my breath away. The NY Times reviewer called it a "...virtuoso encore...". How wonderful that this piece appears on Dreams of a World. A CD that will transport you around the world with the flavors of outstanding compositions interpreted by a musician who is one of the greatest living classical guitarists today. Do yourself a favor and experience the magic.

Simply Superb.......2004-07-07

You don't have to be a classical music expert to love this CD. It is accessible to both the novice as well as the sophisticated listener.

Dreams of a World is the type of CD you come back to over and over again. Each listening reveals a new layer of complexity and mastery. To master an instrument requires a unique blend of disciplined technique and creative emotion. One may aspire to being a perfect technician and yet lack in emotive nuance. One may aspire to evoke emotion and yet lack proper technique. In either case the listener is left wanting. Isbin however, inspires by combining flawless technique with passionate creativity. For example, the works by Neomi Shemer shimmer. Isbin's technique, her emotion, and her versatility shine forth on this CD. This is a beautiful work, and should be in every music lovers collection.

Journey to the Amazon
Average customer rating:

A wonderful journey

my introduction to the classical guitar technique

Mesmerizing!!

Beyond beautiful, a wonderful work

As enjoyable as their live performance!

Journey to the Amazon
Sharon Isbin , Paul Winter , Thiago de Mello , Laurindo Almeida , Antonio Lauro , Agustin Barrios-Mangore , Gentil Montana , Isaias Savio , Leo Brouwer , Benito Canonico , and Pixinguinha
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dreams of a World

Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur

Latin Romances for Guitar

Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000000SAG
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

Historia Do Luar (Choro)
Seis por Derecho
Waltz Op. 8, No. 4
A Hug For Pixingha
Chants For The Chief No. 2 : Uirapuru do Amazonas
Julia Florida
El Marabino
Waltz No. 3 (Natalia)
Porro
Butucada
Lago de Janauaca
Chants For the Chief No. 1 : A Chamada dos Ventos - Cancao Nocturna
Cancione de Cuna (Lullaby)
Aire de Joropo
Cochichando
Choro Alegre (A Hug For Tiberio)
Cavaleiro Sem Armadura (Knight Without Armor)

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful journey.......2006-02-17

The guitar performance is as good as it gets. Every track could have been recorded as a solo performance and worked very well. The percussion and saxophone enrich the context and move the performance into something more than just music. After listening you feel like you've just enjoyed something wonderful and at the same time you've been educated without realizing it! After listening you understand something about Latin American music that you didn't before.

my introduction to the classical guitar technique.......2005-05-22

The Journey to the Amazon does just what the title suggests, taking you on an melodious adventure of guitar and local instruments and rhythms. This disc was my introduction to the sound of a classical guitar, and I found that the path Sharon Isbin took from more classical repertoire suited her style well. I may not have liked the sound of classical guitar at all if I had first listened to it in a more traditional genre.

Mesmerizing!!.......2004-02-29

This CD was my first exposure to Sharon Isbin, and I am absolutely mesmerized by it!! The music is beautiful, lyrical and moving. You can close your eyes and feel transported to a lovely other-worldly place full of graceful Latin/Brazilian rhythms.

Beyond beautiful, a wonderful work.......2003-09-08

This recording was one of my early exposures to Sharon Isbin on CD. I had the pleasure of experiencing her live performance prior to the purchase of this CD. As a fan of heavier guitar music, (i.e. Steve Vai and Eric Johnson), I never believed I would enjoy a classical guitarist. I was so completely moved by the performance Ms. Isbin gives on this CD, that I promptly purchased "Dreams of a World" and most recently "Baroque Favorites for Guitar". I highly recommend this CD if you want to hear a guitarist whose work defies traditional categorization. I give it 10 stars! Please try to see Ms. Isbin live in recital if she comes to your area; you will experience a remarkable performance.

As enjoyable as their live performance!.......2002-05-28

I had the good fortune of hearing these performers live and relished every moment. Rarely does a CD live up to a live performance, but this is one that does and more. A must buy!!

Average customer rating:

Dun shows engaging guitar writing, but with little in the way of orchestral drama
Flawless work of art!!
Well-deserved award-winner
Complex and amazing
Hurray! For Rouse and Dun

Sharon Isbin

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur
Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar
Dreams of a World
Journey to the Amazon
Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000050J1F
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

Rouse: Concert de Gaudi for Guitar and Orchestra
Rouse: Concert de Gaudi for Guitar and Orchestra
Rouse: Concert de Gaudi for Guitar and Orchestra
Dun: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
Dun: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
Dun: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
Dun: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
Dun: Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra

Amazon.com

Sharon Isbin knows how to pick classical guitar works just about as well as she knows how to play them (which is to say, exceptionally well). On her Grammy Award-winning Dreams of a World, she explored folksy classical guitar works from around the world. On this disc, the music of two guitar concerto world premieres is less-familiar and just as exciting. Christopher Rouse's Concerto de Gaudi for Guitar and Orchestra is rooted in the Spanish idiom, but it has numerous twists and turns. Isbin gets plenty of tricky solo flights here, but the piece also features some truly explosive brass and percussion moments reminiscent of orchestral works by Ives and Revueltas. Tan Dun's commission for Isbin is less structured; there's plenty of improvisation where the guitarist is required to use tremolo to make her instrument sound like a Chinese lute, or p'i-p'a. Again, you'll hear the influence of Spanish composers, though you never lose the influence of Eastern tonalities in Tan Dun's Impressionistic work. It's a fantastic showcase for Isbin's talents, though not necessarily a piece you'll want to hear every day. These live recordings boast great sonics, and the Gulbenkian Orchestra is in fine form. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Dun shows engaging guitar writing, but with little in the way of orchestral drama.......2006-12-11

I will limit my comments here to the Tan Dun piece, as I don't care much for the music of Christopher Rouse.

Tan Dun's concerto for guitar and orchestra "Yi2" (1996) is one of the composer's more avant-garde statements, light years away from the world-music crossover gimmickry of the "Symphony 1997" he was readying around the same-time. That is not to say that Tan Dun's Chinese culture plays a role here, for in fact like all his best work this music is a wholesome and *convincing* synthesis of modern orchestral trends with Dun's rural Chinese upbringing.

Out of classical soloist repertoire, music for guitar has been the most difficult for me. Even with composers that are nearly always satisfying, such as Per Norgard and Toru Takemitsu, their guitar music just leaves me scratching my head. I suspect that it is because growing up with rock music makes the guitar "not classical enough", as it were. How does Tan Dun overcomes my resistence? By writing for the guitar as if it were not a guitar! That is, at times Tan Dun treats the guitar as if it were the pipa, the stringed Chinese folk instrument. At other times he gives an aggressive edge to a usually lilting instrument, even exploring the possibilities of noise.

The orchestral scoring is considerable, with a large string section and four percussionists playing exotic instruments and Tan Dun's own water inventions. Nonetheless, it normally stays out of the way of the soloist. Yet, in the end, that's what gives me reservations about the concerto. Its musical material could have been used just as well for a solo work, there's no sense of dialogue or confrontation between soloist and orchestra.

As much as I admire the guitar writing, "Yi2" ultimately gives mixed feelings. For those new to Tan Dun, I'd recommend the superb DVD of his work "The Map" (on Deutsche Grammophon) or the "Water Passion" (Sony). Save this disc for when you've decided to seek out more.

Flawless work of art!!.......2005-04-19

This disc features unbelievable musical composition, emotional playing, and great depth and breadth a emotion. A must have - truly incredible music.....

Well-deserved award-winner.......2002-07-26

Some new pieces of music sound OK the first or second time you listen to them, then the returns diminish. Others are bad to begin with and get worse.

With this CD, I thought: hmm, pretty nice, maybe I'll listen to it again. Like an opening flower, each subsequent exposure brought greater pleasure. What a suprise that music this subtle yet generous recording would win composer Rouse a Grammy, which often goes to more splashy issues!

This CD has earned an honored--and well worn--parking slot on my collector's shelf!

Complex and amazing.......2001-12-05

Rouse's concerto is one of the richest and most amazingly complex pieces of contemporary music I've heard in quite a while, but is at the same time completely accessible on first listening. Someone should, however, correct Mr. Rouse's mistaken impression that flamenco music has anything to do with the Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudi, who was Catalan, not Spanish. Even the writer of the liner notes refers several times to Gaudi as "Spanish" and seems to think that flamenco music is somehow a natural match for his architectural genius. This is somewhat analogous to saying that one should listen to Delta blues while viewing the buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright. Catalan culture is entirely distinct from the Andalucian roots of flamenco. Perhaps Mr. Rouse has never been to Spain. But enough quibbling: the work itself (leaving Gaudi out of it) is astonishing and very highly recommended.

Hurray! For Rouse and Dun.......2001-10-10

Wonderful work Mr. Rouse, I have not heard you
have this much fun since the recording 'Dance Mix'
came out, remember? the piece you wrote for 8 percussionists?
Well, this guitar concerto; "Concert de Gaudi"
is wonderful.There is a chord in the first movement of
this concerto similar to one used by Romero and Torroba,
in their "Concierto de Malaga". Full orchestra with a
big percussion section and loud brass and at times, evocative
solos on the solo guitar section.As for Mr. Dun, his Concerto
for Guitar and Orchestra, is just as good. Full of percussion,
including a 'water gong', which is a normal practice for this
composer.Dun's Concerto is great, charming, at times sensous,
and inventive. Mr. Dun, you did a wonderful work.I am very please
to own this recording in my personal collection.

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin

Average customer rating:

Lyrical and pure classical guitar

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasia para un gentilhombre (Latin Romances) / Isbin
Sharon Isbin
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar
Dreams of a World
Artist Portrait: Sharon Isbin
Greatest Hits
Latin Romances for Guitar

ASIN: B000026CIL
Release Date: 2000-02-01

Tracks:

Concierto de Aranjuez: I Allegro con sprito
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio
Concierto de Aranjuez: II Allegro gentile
Fantasia para un gentilhomebre: I Villano y Ricercare
Fantasia para un gentilhomebre: II Espanoleta y Fanfare de la Caballeria de Napoles
Fantasia para un gentilhomebre: III Fanfare de la Caballeria de Napoles
Fantasia para un gentilhomebre: IV Danza de las Hachas
Fantasia para un gentilhomebre: V Canario
A Fantasy for guitar and orchestra: From Afar

Tracks:

Zapateado
Invocacion y Danza
La Catendral: La Catedral: i. Andante religioso
La Catendral: ii. Allegro Solemne
Quejas: (Lament)
Estrada do Sol: (Road to the Sun)
Capricho Arabe
El Decameron Negro: I. La Arpa del Guerrero
II. La Huida de los Amantes por el Valle de los Ecos
iii. Balada de la Doncella Enamorada
Sentimental Melody
Etude No. 8
Mallorca
Asturias

Customer Reviews:

Lyrical and pure classical guitar.......2000-07-02

The classical guitar can struggle against the volume of an orchestra and that fact is evident in this CD. Isbin's masterful skill is often overwhelmed by the orchestra, something that perhaps could have been lessened with better remastering. Nonetheless, if you appreciate classical guitar played by a real talent, this CD is for you. The unaccompanied Latin Romances illustrate Isbin's work at its best, clean and precise with pure tonal production. Her technical mastery as well as her lyricism are often on display. I found the Schwantner composition, written at Isbin's request, somewhat heavy-handed and hard to listen to. The Rodrigo recordings, even allowing for the occasionally overwhelming orchestra, are bright and crisp. Isbin's feeling for Rodrigo's music comes through clearly in these recordings. Despite the somewhat onerous orchestations, I would recommend this CD to anyone who appreciates clear, precise, lyrical classical guitar. There's definitely enough in here to make this a worthwhile purchase. Two CD set. PS: to get the second CD out, open the inner door from the center out! I'm an engineer, and it took me several tries to figure it out (may because I'm an engineer!).

Average customer rating:

J.S. Bach: Complete Lute Suites

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Spanish Guitar Recital
Greatest Hits
Latin Romances for Guitar
Bach Lute Suites For Guitar (Classical Guitar Series)
Journey to the Amazon

ASIN: B00008LP1Q
Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

Prelude
Loure
Gavotte En Rondeau
Menuet I & II (De Capo Menuet I)
Bourree
Gigue
Prelude: Tres Vite
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I & II (En Rondeau)
Gigue
Praeludio: Passaggio Presto
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Bourree
Gigue
Prelude
Fugue
Sarabande
Gigue
Double

Average customer rating:

Guitar

Latin Romances for Guitar

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Journey to the Amazon
Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar
Greatest Hits
Dreams of a World
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur

ASIN: B000A2ES74
Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

Zapateato
Invocation Y Dansa
La Catedral: I. Andante Religioso
La Catedral: II. Allegro Solemne
Quejas (Lament)
Estrada Do Sol
Capricho Arabe
El Decameron Negro: I. La Arpa De Guerrero
El Decameron Negro: II. La Huida DE Los Amantes Por El Valle De Los Ecos
El Decameron Negro: III. Balada De La Doncella Enamorada
Sentimental Melody
Etude No.8
Mallorca
Asturias

Customer Reviews:

Guitar.......2006-03-09

The CD was a gift for my Father who has limited mobility but still fully enjoys music. He loves the CD and we very much appreciated the timelyness of the shipment. Amazon.com is my first choice in on-line gifts. cj

Average customer rating:

Nocturne: Music for Dreaming

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Lost in Meditation: Meditative Gregorian Chants, Vol. 1
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

ASIN: B0002W1208
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Pavane - Paul Tortelier
Clair De Lune - Kun Woo Paik
II. Adagio - Sharon Isbin
II. Andante - Borodin String Quartet
Gnossienne No.1 - Anne Queffelec
Il Vecchio Castello - Charles Mackerras
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Libor Pesek
II. Andante - Sinfonia Varsovia
Meditation - Renaud Capucon
IV. Adagietto - Jukka-Pekka Saraste

Average customer rating:

Strangers indeed (3.5 stars)
Bravo
Bravo - Mentzer is warm, rich and musically pleasing
Moving musicality - the voice of Mentzer is soulful and rich
Nice idea, problems in execution

Wayfaring Stranger

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Wayfaring Stranger
Red Rosey Bush
Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair
The Nightingale
Go 'Way From My Window
Zapateado
Aranjuez, Ma Pensee
Spanish Dance No.5
Plaisir D'amour
Jeune Fillettes
Que Ne Suis-Je La Fougere!
L'amour S'envole
Maman, Dites-Moi
Capricho Arabe
Standchen
Heidenroslein
Nachtstuck
Reveillez-Vous
J'ai Descendu
Le Rossignol
Marguerite, Elle Est Malade

Amazon.com

This is an intriguing collection of mostly folk and folk- influenced material in concert form. The splendid opera singer and recitalist Mentzer and the great guitarist Sharon Isbin have arranged their program for maximum variety, even including several guitar solos as interludes. Although Mentzer says she has long wanted to record the five American folksongs that open the program, she sounds a little uncomfortable in them, too large-scale and operatic in delivery. But the remainder of the disc is excellent, including three wonderful Schubert Lieder and the delightful French folksongs arranged by the almost-forgotten composer Mátyás Seiber. The performers and recording engineers collaborate to ensure that the guitar is always properly audible. And what a great way for fans of each artist to meet the other! --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Strangers indeed (3.5 stars).......2007-02-21

Take away the 5 American Songs, I'll give this CD 4.5 stars. It makes me wonder why the artists would choose one of their weakest set to be the title of the CD. I find Ms. Mentzer meandering her way operatically through the 5 songs, ended up totally at lost. But what is amissed here, she made it up in the rest of the CD and I find her most comfortable in the Schubert's songs, she did especially a fine job in the popular Standchen. Aranjuez, Ma Pensee also got a nice premiere here. It is sorrowful and heart-wrenching and well worth the transcription from the Concerto. But the limelight of the performance belongs to Ms. Isbin. She is an excellent accompanist throughout and truely shines in the 3 solo performances. She takes more risks with Capricio Arabe and is well rewarded. The contrasts in color and her rubatos make (the ever-solid) David Russell's interpretation sounds prosaic! In summary, skip past the 5 American songs, the rest of the CD is very enjoyable. I only wish Ms. Mentzer and M. Isbin had choosen a couple more Schubert's songs and a few more guitar solo pieces.

Bravo.......2000-07-31

This CD presents two marvelous artists who each perform magnificiently in solo roles. I had sought this CD to hear Sharon Isbin. Susanne Mentzer's voice was unfamiliar. No longer.

The CD consists of many folksongs, American and French plus British works and Lieder. The sound quality is superb. The symetry and synergy produced by Isbin and Mentzer has to be heard to be truly appreciated. Sometimes the voice or instrument is in the background. While writing I am listening to Mentzer and Isbin's guitar mastery provides a beautiful blend. There is one problem that I find. The title is misleading. After listening to this CD, most listeners will feel like neighbors, not strangers. They may be wandering but there is some direction. "Wayfaring" to me implies less direction. The music is spontaneous and moving. It is also free flowing rather than having each performer stick exactly to the scores. Yet they are in tandem. So, as they wander, their steps are in synct.(sp). I bought my copy on an auction. Now, I will look for more Mentzer works while continuing my search for more Isbin. If Erato shows its savvy, there should be an encore CD.

Bravo.

Bravo - Mentzer is warm, rich and musically pleasing.......1999-03-25

The strength of Mentzer's full mezzo is moving and most enjoyable to the ear and heart. A truthful and beatifully trained artist whose voice allows the listener to do just that "listen". Worthy and rich, full of contrast and life, I find Mentzer's singing very moving. A fine compliment is Isbin's generousity with guitar. Buy this.

Moving musicality - the voice of Mentzer is soulful and rich.......1999-03-25

Ms. Mentzer is a mezzo with a full rich range, yet very sensitive and moving. Her voice tells us she has love in a complicated life...as all fine artists share. Ms. Isbin is a fine compliment to Mentzer's brilliant and heartfelt singing. A fine addition to any music collection.

Nice idea, problems in execution.......1999-01-27

If you are intrigued by the idea of classical artists performing folk music, this album may prove discouraging. The fault is not with Isbin, who seems comfortable in any musical genre. Mentzer, on the other hand, runs into trouble immediately; her delivery lacks the necessary understatement, and her vibrato goes whanging all over the place. It's pretty painful, though it improves when the performers get to the lieder tracks and Mentzer seems more at ease. Still, getting to the later tracks isn't easy.

Music Review:

Music Review

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Music Review

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