Granados: Danza española, Op. 37 No. 5 'Andaluza' (Playera)

Yoko Suzuki began her piano training at the age of three and at the tender age of five she began accompanying on the organ at her local church. In 2001, she decided to move to Barcelona. There she studied with the great pianist and teacher Alicia de Larrocha. In addition, she became acquainted with the works of the composer Mompou and is now managed by his widow, the pianist Carmen Bravo.

22 miniatures for violin & piano, including Praeludium and Allegro, Liebesteid, Liebesfreud, Schon Rosmarin, Caprice Viennois, Tambourin Chinois, Rondino on a theme by Beethoven, Ave Maria (Schubert), Arioso (Bach).

The highly acclaimed French cellist Anne Gastinel collaborates with virtuoso Argentine guitarist Pablo Márquez in a delightful release exploring the passion and soul of Spanish music.

The follow up to her successful Schubert Sonatas and Bach Suites albums sees Gastinel select the pieces and arrange them for cello. The recording includes Spanish Classical music standards by Enrique Granados, Manuel de Falla and Gaspar Cassadó. Anne Gastinel records exclusively for Naïve, each new release is hailed by the international press and showered with awards. Achievements include: French Classical Music Awards 'Most Promising Young Talent 94' and 'Best Recording of the Year'; 'Fnac' Prize 1995 and 2000; Prix de l'Académie du Disque; RTL Classique d'Or 1996 and 1998; the “Choc” du Monde de la Musique, Télérama (1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002). Pablo Márquez’s recordings for ECM New Series and Kairos have received numerous awards, including the Grand Prix du Disque de l’Acedémie Charles Cros, the Amadeus Prize.

‘The music of Picasso’ takes us on a wonderful journey illustrating the influence of music upon Picasso’s life and career.

From Flamenco to Satie, from Stravinsky to Granados, the music of Picasso are those he liked to hear and sing, those for which he conceived sets and texts, and finally those which directly evoke an aspect of his imaginative universe. They are gathered in this set, to give a new light on the work of this immense artist.

The world is not short of guitar transcriptions of Granado’s piano music but this recording is special. Tom Kerstens plays a copy of an 1888 Antonio de Torres guitar, less bright than modern instruments, allowing for more subtle dynamic shading which he exploits in dazzling style.