A Mess of Engineering

 

Too bad, for something seems to get in the way of successful Granados transcriptions at Naxos.

To me, it sounds like someone put a microphone in the back of Moyzes Hall in Bratislava, giving the orchestra a very reverberant sound.

That is fine, but then someone stuck Canadian guitarist Norbert Kraft right in front of the microphone. Now, all of the balances are out of whack.

It is sometimes disconcerting when the guitar has the secondary part, for there it is front and center, while some orchestral echo on stage has the main part. This goes for doublings with the guitar too, where the poor flute and castanets are hidden back there somewhere.

Much like Salvador Broton's performance, this is played at a rather measured pace, and the orchestra isn't allowed to relish some of the countermelody lines, which could have injected some life into the proceedings. Since the orchestra is flung back, the rhythmic profile and bass line are mushy, making some of the fun background burbles messy sounding, but at least everyone seems to move together.

The best that can be said is, it is a delight to hear guitar in a sort-of Concerto version of Granados' 12 Danzas Españolas. After the Dances, the short Escenas Poeticas ended up a delight. Less exotically Spanish perhaps, but they are lovely little miniatures.

A review from 2024

Naxos has two recordings of transcriptions of Granados’ Danzas Españolas - this earlier one from Peter Breiner in an orchestral concerto setting with solo guitar, and a purely orchestral version from, Barcelona with Salvador Brotons.



I think I like this one better, if nothing else than for the texture of solo guitar with orchestra. The twelve dances are drowsily atmospheric and rarely get the blood pumping. Still they are beautiful, particularly in their original piano solo guise. The three Poetic Scenes are lovely, if not continuing the somnambulism.


The engineering isn’t great here. The guitar is extremely close to the listener and the orchestra is very far away, particularly the winds and percussion. This is great for those who love Spanish guitar, but there is no chance for orchestral interaction, and the orchestral rhythms and bass end up squishy.


I like Peter Breiner’s orchestration better than Rafael Ferrer’s, also on Naxos. Neither conductor takes many chances performance wise, but Norbert Kraft’s guitar playing is hard not to admire. Too bad we can’t get Granados a solid transcriber and leader.

Listen on YouTube

 

Works
12 Spanish Dances (62.44)
Poetic Scenes (9.32)

Performers
Norbert Kraft, guitar
Razumovsky Sinfonia
Peter Breiner, conductor

Label: Naxos
Year: 1995
Total Timing: 72.16

 

 

 
Well, if you must have an orchestration of Danzas Españolas, this is the one to get.

The added bonus of very fine guitar playing and the Escenas Poeticas are more worthwhile.

But a great recording, this is not.

 

 

 

 

 Find more Granados recordings HERE!