Piazzolla / Interensemble Padova Chamber Music CD

Born in Argentina in 1921, Astor Piazzolla grew up in New York before eventually returning to his homeland in 1955. One of the finest composers to have emerged from South America, he is best remembered today for his development of the tango - a product of the working-class suburbs of Buenos Aires, and a dance whose rhythm Piazzolla combined with his classical training as well as American jazz influences to achieve a highly personal style. Piazzolla's output is dominated by chamber music, and in this fascinating 2 CD collection we encounter some of his most famous works within the genre. Effectively tracing the Argentinian's career, the compilation contains such early gems as Tres Piezas Breves, a late-1940s composition documenting his attempt as a serious composer, as well as the renowned Adios Nonino of 1959 that was responsible for raising Piazzolla's reputation both at home and abroad. By the time Piazzolla came to write Five Tango Sensations (1989), he was attracting the attention of internationally renowned musicians. Composed for the progressive Kronos Quartet, the late work shows just how much his style had advanced. Despite this shift, however, Piazzolla never lost sight of the sensual, despairing emotion of the tango - an emotion that is the essence of this wonderful assortment of works, inspiringly performed by the Interensemble Padova.

1. No. 1. Asleep 2. No. 2. Loving 3. No. 3. Anxiety 4. No. 4. Despertar 5. No. 5. Fear 6. No. 1. Campero 7. No. 4. Triston 8. No. 3. Acentuado 9. No. 1. Leijia's Game: Tango 10. No. 2. Flora's Game: Milonga 11. No. 3. Sunny's Game: Valse 12. Le Grand Tango 13. Adios Nonino 14. I. Bordel 1900 15. II. Cafe 1930 16. III. Nightclub 1960 17. IV. Concert D'aujourd'hui 18. Tango in a Major 19. Etude No. 1 20. Etude No. 2 21. Etude No. 3 22. No. 4. Lento - Meditativo 23. No. 5. ? 24. No. 6. Avec Anxiete 25. No. 1. Pastoral 26. No. 2. Serenade 27. No. 3. Siciliana 28. Four, for Tango