John J. Puccio reviews José Serebrier’s Last Tango Before Sunrise on his Classical Candor blog:
“Most classical music fans know Jose Serebrier as a world-class conductor, but not everyone may know that he is also a composer. The present disc hopes to rectify that situation by showcasing nine of his compositions, several of them world-premiere recordings. … The first two items on the program are among the longest, starting with the Symphony for Percussion, written in 1961 and played by the Gnessin Percussion Ensemble, Moscow, directed by Ilia Melikhov. This one is fun, with drums and cymbals and such coming at us from all angles. … it’s quite entertaining, and I doubt any future recordings will match it for performance or sound. Next is Serebrier’s Piano Sonata, written in 1957 and premiered by Rudolf Serkin a year later. Here, it is played by pianist Nadia Shpachenko. … Its “Latin-sounding rhythms” are well served by Ms. Shpachenko, who plays it with a trenchant, clearheaded mind-set and a deft set of fingers. The final seven selections are briefer than the first two. … Of these, all of which I enjoyed, I liked Danza best of all. I’m no expert in tango music, but this one is playful, rhythmic, dynamic, and wholly captivating.”
—John J. Puccio, Classical Candor
See the full review on the Classical Candor Blog