Editorial Product Review:Amazon.com:David Russell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but his family moved to Spain while he was still a young boy so he could study music in the birthplace of classical guitar. On
Reflections of Spain, Russell plays the music of his childhood home with all the joy you would expect from someone revisiting a beloved place. Russell's formidable technique is powered by a keen intelligence and tempered by an emotional delivery. He plays chestnuts like Tarrega's 'Recuerdos de la Alhambra' and Albeinez's 'Austurias' with a fond intimacy that rescues them from cliché. Perhaps the finest moments on the CD are Russell's guitar arrangements of four of Granados's compositions. Although Granados wrote pieces like 'Danza Melancolia' and 'Andaluza' for piano, Russell's thoughtful versions remind us that the folk dances that inspired them were originally accompanied by the guitar. David Russell is one the finest classical guitarists to emerge in recent years, and his playing on
Reflections of Spain is a near perfect wedding of technique and temperament.
--Michael Simmons
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Disc 1:- Serenata espanola (Joaquin Malats)
- Capricho Arabe (Francisco Tarrega)
- Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Francisco Tarrega)
- Andaluza (Spanish Dance No. 5) (Enrique Granados)
- Danza melancolica (Spanish Dance No. 10) (Enrique Granados)
- La Maja de Goya (from Tonadillas al estila antiguo) (Enrique Granados)
- Valses poeticos - Vivace, poeticos, Tempo de vals noble, Tempo de vals lento, Allegro humoristico, Allegretto, Sentimental, Vivo, Presto (Enrique Granados)
- Sevilla (from Suite espanola, Op. 47) (Isaac Albeniz)
- Mallorca, Op. 202 (Isaac Albeniz)
- Asturias (from Suite espanola, Op. 47) (Isaac Albeniz)
- Cancion y Danza No. 1 (Antonio Ruiz-Pipo)
Buyer Reviews
Average Buyer Rating:
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Excellent
The CD I ordered and received was handled in a very expeditious manner and arrived in perfect condition. k. Seiler
Customer Rating: -
Fuller versions of two classics
One additional element worth noting: David Russell plays the "full" versions of both 'Recuerdos de La Alhambra' (Tarrega) and 'Sevilla' (Albeniz)on this recording. He plays all the repeats in Recuerdos, which times out at 5:31, almost twice the length of most recordings due to the repeats. Hey, the more of Russell's liquid-smooth tremolo we get, the better! On 'Sevilla' Russell repeats the entire 'A' section at the end. Nearly all guitarists in the past (Segovia, Williams, Bream, etc. etc.) have played the piece with a curtailed A section at the end.
The Granados arrangements are wonderful. Russell's sheet music arrangements of Spanish Dances 5 and 10 and 'La Maja de Goya' are available - it's great to have a clean, modern arrangement of the Spanish Dance #10 in particular.
Customer Rating: -
Exquisite music
This is my most favorite CD. David Russell has exquisite taste and exquisite execution. He is an absolute master of the classic Spanish guitar, and he shows off this mastery in this beautiful CD. Each piece is a joy to savor. His crystalline technique makes this a superb addition to anyone's collection. You will smell the lemon blossoms in the courtyard of the Mezquita in Cordoba when you listen to this marvelous recording.
Customer Rating: -
beautiful reflections
Having just returned to England after a long spell living in Spain I was searching for an evocative suite of Spanish guitar music to accompany my extensive array of photographic studies. Being familiar with the work 'Recuerdos de la Alhambra' I was immediately attracted to this compilation: 'Reflections of Spain'. The music was a revelation. David Russel made the guitar sing lyrically, recalling many bitter sweet moments of life in Iberia. The light and shade of the choices included covered such a broad scope as to fit my purpose exactly and give enjoyment better than I could have hoped for.