At first blush, this EMI release appears to be a fine matchup of performers with the music and looks like a real bargain at the reduced price. Guitarist Angel Romero, conductor André Previn, and the London Symphony Orchestra are all top-notch musicians, and the pieces by Joaquín Rodrigo -- Concierto de Aranjuez, Elogio de la guitarra, and Fantasia para un gentilhombre -- are well-loved gems of Spanish music. So what could be wrong with this package? The analog recordings date from 1977-1978 and were digitally remastered in 1987. There are strange, abrupt changes in the reproduction, veering from muffled and faintly audible passages to overly boosted and shockingly loud climaxes. Romero's solos suffer greatly from the loss of fine details and the thinning of his tone quality; the LSO's dynamics and timbres are so distorted that they sound unnatural and unintended. The sessions were taped in Abbey Road Studios, so there should have been tight control at the mixing board; however, the results sound almost as unsteady as a live concert recording. Since the iffy sound seriously distracts from the competent performances, this CD is only useful in the absence of better options.
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