Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is arguably the most popular work in the entire guitar repertory, and one might reasonably ask whether the world needs one more recording. No one, however, who hears this reading by guitarist Thibaut Garcia and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, is going to ask again: it is exceptional. Garcia's performance has a remarkable quality of grace, and grace in reserve, with an uncannily smooth guitar tone. Is it a French, rather than a Spanish, Concierto de Aranjuez? Maybe, but ...
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Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is arguably the most popular work in the entire guitar repertory, and one might reasonably ask whether the world needs one more recording. No one, however, who hears this reading by guitarist Thibaut Garcia and the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, is going to ask again: it is exceptional. Garcia's performance has a remarkable quality of grace, and grace in reserve, with an uncannily smooth guitar tone. Is it a French, rather than a Spanish, Concierto de Aranjuez? Maybe, but Rodrigo was a student of Dukas, and the liveliness of the dialogues between the guitar and the various instruments of the orchestra, often lost in heavily Spanish-regional performances, are wonderful. Part of the credit, of course, goes to the orchestra and conductor Ben Glassberg. Three more works, as uncommon as the Concierto de Aranjuez is common, fill out the program. There are four short works by Regino Sainz de la Maza, a contemporary of Rodrigo (and the dedicatee and first...
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