Track Listing

1. Serenata Española Joaquín Malats
2. Capricho Catalan Isaac Albéniz
3. Sevillana Joaquin Turina
4. Preludio Federico Mompou
5. La Maja de Goya Enrique Granados
6. Danza de la Pastora
7. El Noy de la Mare Catalan folk song
8. Asturias Isaac Albéniz
9. Fandanguillo
10. Recuerdos de la Alhambra Francisco Tarrega
11. Asturianna
12. Nana Manuel de Falla
13. Canción Manuel de Falla
14. La Vida Breve Manuel de Falla

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #116351 in Music
• Released on: 2001-09-01
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Music and Food of Spain

Classical Spanish Guitar Music

Marc Teicholz, guitar, with Sharon O’connor, cello

Bring home the romance and mystery of Spain. An hour of classical Spanish guitar music plus three beautiful Catalan folksongs for guitar and cello. Liner notes include delicious Spanish recipes. Two percent of proceeds are donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Customer Reviews

Spanish guitar music at its best
To clarify: the primary artist here is the guitarist Marc Teicholz, who is joined on 'cello by Ms O'Connor for pieces 11-13. "La vida breve" (apparently double-tracked) is in fact the famous "Spanish Dance No. 1", not the entire opera. The Mompou piece is from the "Suite Compostelana", recorded in its entirety by Segovia and others. There is only one Catalan folk song.

My attention was initially drawn to this CD by its inclusion of Halffter's "Danza de la Pastora"; I saw Narciso Yepes play this many years ago, but he never recorded it, and I've been searching for a good recording ever since.

Marc Teicholz is a winner of the Guitar Foundation of America competition, and this album show clearly why. My wife -- a musician but not particularly a fan of classical guitar, although exposed to it by long association with me -- exclaimed "My God, he's terrific! He's got everything!"

And indeed he has. The pieces here range from fairly easy to fiendish, but Mr Teicholz negotiates them all with equally effortless authority and beautiful tone. The well-known "Asturias", which some prefer to start quietly and build up, is treated here more like a flamenco piece (which indeed it may be regarded as, being based on a Granadina); the notorious "big chord", which causes so many guitarists to falter, is played with rock-solid rhythm, as is everything else. Likewise, I have never heard the Turina pieces played with greater command; but lyricism seems to come just as easily, as in the beautiful "Capricho Catalán".

There are many young guitarists today with excellent technique. What separates Mr Teicholz from the herd is his musicality. His version of "Danza de la Pastora" is much more exciting than that of Messrs Parkening & Brandon, even though they have twice as many guitars; furthermore, he observes all the repeats, which they do not. In fact, this piece alone would be worth the price of the CD to me.

But even ignoring that, this is a thoroughly worthwhile album, even if you already have some of the familiar pieces: the guitar and 'cello transcriptions work extremely well, all the music is accessible to the average listener, and the recording is excellent.

The total time is 50'57".

Don't buy this for the recipes
Don't buy this for the recipes. The CD comes with 2 simple recipes printed in the cover and you could easily obtain these yourself from an internet search. The music, however, is exquisite.

Fabulous
I bought this for the recipes so the CD was an added bonus. Still, I assumed that it would be tinsel-sounding cheesy pseudo-flamingo music. One day I decided to listen and WOW - what a brilliant collection, almost quintesentially Spanish. From the supple Prelude to the incredible Asturias this is a tour de force of Spanish guitar and the almost magical playing that is associated with that genre.

The best way to listen is with either Bose speakers set at stereo or (even better) with head phones. All the nuances, slides, plucks, intricate fingering - the entire spirit of the wrok - can be captured in this manner.I tried it both ways and even with the Bose must admit that headphones provided a depth of detail that made it seem as if I was on stage with the performer. I see that Mr. Teicholz also has several Sors albums - my very next purchases.