Piazzólla: Concerto for Bandoneon & Orchestra 'Aconcagua'

“Performance and recording throughout are of the highest standard” Gramophone Magazine, November 1996 Recording of the Month

“The opening work on this disc provides a rare glimpse into the musical world of the young Piazzolla: the Sinfonia Buenos Aires, from 1951, was the last in a series of orchestral pieces that had followed his years of study with Alberto Ginastera in the Argentine capital.” The Guardian, 23rd September 2010 **

“The arrangement played on this new recording...accentuates Piazzolla's admiration for Vivaldi more than most: classical-style scoring notably devolves into Concerto Grosso textures in Spring as instruments peel away in solo excursions...they show Piazzolla a musical communicator of Vivaldian originality and individuality, who like his predecessor pushed instruments to their limits” Classic FM Magazine, February 2011 *****

“Gabriel Castagna gives us the first recording of the Sinfonía Buenos Aires. Composed in 1951, it is far more ambitious in scope than the Sinfonietta – and more daring, as well. The music's tightly coiled rhythms are typical of the composer, certainly, but there's an edgy grandeur and harmonic pungency here that's like nothing else in his output.
Indeed, with its onslaught of percussion and blazing brass, the wailing climax of the slow movement put me in mind of Shostakovich's Eighth Symphony. Castagna inspires some ferocious playing from his German orchestra, particularly in the frenetic and feral finale.
The Concerto for bandoneón, strings and percussion (1979) is played with verve, too. Juan José Mosalini puts a jaunty spring in the rhythms of the solo part, a delectable reminder of the score's dance-music roots. José Carli's fullorchestra arrangement of Mar del Plata 70 retains the tango's acerbic character. Less appealing is Carlos Franzetti's transcription of Cuatro estaciones porteñas: Franzetti is a marvellous composer himself, and this suite is expertly scored, but the results are overly lush.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“…Castagna gives us the first recording of the Sinfonia Buenos Aires. Composed in 1951, it is far more ambitious in scope than the Sinfonietta - and more daring, as well. Castagna inspires some ferocious playing from his German orchestra, particularly in the frenetic and feral finale. The Concerto for bandoneón, strings and percussion (1979) is played with verve, too. Juan José Mosalini puts a jaunty spring in the rhythms of the solo part, a delectable reminder of the score's dance-music roots.” Gramophone Magazine, August 2007