Piazzólla: Chau Paris

This CD by the Trio Artelli presents some of the most significant works by Astor Piazzolla, illustrating once again the inexhaustible creativity of this Argentinian maestro. Piazzolla’s creations come to be seen as open works, new Latin American standards, able to be appropriated by the various compass points of contemporary music, whether classical, jazz or indeed pop.

These three Neapolitan musicians remain true to their chamber music vocation, producing versions of Piazzolla for violin, cello and piano which are extremely elegant, occasionally minimalist and distinctly modern without in any way detracting from the original. Their arrangements reflect the whole palette of colours and inspirations of the Argentinian composer, with particular attention to his never-failing melodic vein and mood of melancholy. The choice of pieces itself proclaims the intentions of the Trio Artelli, with a tribute to the 'Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas', the four seasons of Baires, Piazzolla’s own reworking of masterpieces of the Italian Baroque.

These fiery works are brilliantly performed by the Macquarie Trio. This collection of tangos and other dances captures the universal theme of the tango: love, life and death.

All tracks are arranged by Quentin Grant unless specified

Hailed as ‘Queen of the classical accordion’, Mie Miki made her first public appearance at the age of five, and has since then given countless concerts. This CD brings together pieces that do not form part of her standard performance repertoire but are more old friends and new, childhood acquaintancies, and some surprise guests from a wholly different musical universe.

Arrangement of works originally written for harpsichord (Daquin’s Cuckoo or Handel’s Blacksmith) or piano (Stravinsky’s Tango and Schubert’s two Moments musicaux) rub shoulders with original accordion compositions such as Wolfgang Jacobi’s Sérénade. Moods range from the irrepressible Miss Karting, straight out of the great French musette tradition, and the breakneck comedy of Road Runner, to the intense pathos of Astor Piazzolla’s Chiquilín de Bachín and the calm serenity of A Spotless Rose, in Brahms’ setting (originally an organ prelude).

Astor Piazzolla’s tangos, beloved around the world for their pathos, passion, longing and sensibility, are here given fresh interpretations in arrangements for piano by the Argentinean-born, Brussels-based pianist Aquiles Delle-Vigne.

A disciple of Claudio Arrau and winner of the Grand Prix ‘Alberto Williams’, the most prestigious competition in South America, he has been hailed by Le Figaro as a ‘fantastic, incomparable pianist and artist’, while The New York Times characterized his playing as ‘aristocratic, sophisticated and charming’.

Piazzolla’s earthy yet highly developed music gains a new dimension of intimacy but also of power in the hands of this master of the keyboard.

“Pampa and guitar, intellect, rhythm and feeling - those are probably the best words to use when attempting to describe the altogether charming music of Piazzolla and Bardesio.”

Bardesio not only composed works of his own for the guitar, but also created arrangements of Piazzolla's works. He has selected eight such arrangements to make up the first part of this CD.