AUGUST 2012, 'Marios Argiros and Dimitris Dekavallas: Music for Oboe and Guitar'

AUGUST 2012, 'Marios Argiros and Dimitris Dekavallas: Music for Oboe and Guitar'

Reviewed by Ray Picot

My first encounter with these two amazing musicians was at the LCGF, when they played a delightful selection of solo and duo pieces, some of which appear on this album. This disc affirms the spontaneity of their live performances and enables one to really appreciate their subtle mastery of this genre, which merits wider recognition. The arrangements of Villa-Lobos’ famous ‘Aria’ from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 and the Distribution of Flowers work really well, and Marios Argiros’ oboe sings with quite delicious tones. The main piece is Piazzolla’s Histoire du tango, which is no stranger to arrangements, and this one works very well - I’ve returned to this very well-attuned performance many times. The real gem is Celso Machado’s Musiques populaires brésiliennes. These pieces are of simple character, with delightful tunes and foot-tapping rhythms which are perhaps better as live pieces, but here their idiom is caught very well by the duo and will cheer the gloomiest of winter days! The disc ends with a selection of pieces by the 19th-century French guitar virtuoso, Napoleon Coste and 15 Original Dances for duo by Schubert. The contrast in idioms works really well and the music is played with great character and aplomb. Recommended.

 

 

 

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