Argento: Valentino Dances
$11.98 – $16.98
Minnesota Orchestra
Eiji Oue
Music of Dominick Argento
The Absolute Sound Super Disc List
Dominick Argento is America’s pre-eminent opera composer, and a creator of vocal, choral and orchestral music that places him in the top rank of living composers. This significant new release presents WORLD PREMIERE recordings of five important Argento works, all closely associated with the Minnesota Orchestra: VALENTINO DANCES, a suite from the opera “The Dream of Valentino”featuring accordionist William Schimmel of The Tango Project; REVERIE, REFLECTIONS ON A HYMN TUNE; LE TOMBEAU D’EDGAR POE, a suite from the opera “The Voyage of Edgar Allan Poe,” featuring tenor Chad Shelton; VALSE TRISTE; and A RING OF TIME.
On This Recording
- Valentino Dances (Suite from the opera The Dream of Valentino, with William Schimmel, accordion)
- Reverie, Reflections on a Hymn Tune
- Le Tombeau d’Edgar Poe (Suite from the opera The Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe, with Chad Shelton, tenor)
- Valse Triste A Ring of Time
- I. Spring (Dawn, Parade)
- II. Summer (Noon, Procession)
- III. Fall (Twilight, March)
- IV. Winter “Homage to Gustav Mahler” (Midnight, Cortege, Postlude)
Reviews:
“Rarely does one encounter a state-of-the-art audiophile recording that combines astounding sonics with definitive performances of finely crafted, contemporary classical music. Such is the case with this outstanding disc.” —Jason Serinus, SECRETS OF HOME THEATRE AND HIGH FIDELITY
“Argento’s music is unmistakably New World: big, bright, brilliant, lyrically muscular, gymnastically supple and immediately appealing… magnificently articulate performances full of dash and detail that ring out with thrilling idiomatic aplomb.” —Michael Quinn, CLASSIC CD
“Bernstein-protege Eiji Oue secures first-rate results from his excellent, bright-toned band. Lovely, airy sound, too, as always from this enterprising label.” —Andrew Achenbach, GRAMOPHONE
“All of these in demonstration-quality sound to boot.” —Gimbel, AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
“Valentino Dances adds accordion to the orchestra and is a sensuous, voluptuous tango-inspired work that’s blessed with rich and colorful orchestration. The performances of all the works are splendid and the recorded sound is about the best I’ve heard from Reference in Minnesota.” —Rad Bennett, ClassicsToday
“The orchestra provides richly textured, dynamically charged renditions that present the music in the best possible light. Offering a substantial portion of the output of a distinguished figure somewhat underrepresented on recording, this is an important release for those interested in American orchestral music of the late 20th century.” —Walter Simmons, FANFARE
