| Review by leroyad December 31, 2004 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
Most reviews of Silvestre Revueltas’ music try to describe it by calling him a Mexican Stravinsky, a Mexican Prokofieff, a Mexican Bartók, or a Mexican Ives. Alternatively, he might be called a Mexican Villa-Lobos or a Mexican Piazzolla in terms of blending formal European classical training with their countries’ best-known Latin music.
Having just listened to this superb Channel Classics SACD in 5.0 (this label never include a subwoofer channel), I think there is some truth in every one of the comparisons. With that said, everything here is fresh and original, with emotions closer to the surface than any other 20th Century music I have ever heard. (How could it not be so? Revueltas did drink himself to death at age 40.) I personally would place this lesser-known composer with the best of the more familiar ones above. However, if hearing the other names recalls unpleasant musical experiences because of the dissonant and disjoint quality of their works, be aware that you will find the same traits in many of Revueltas’ compositions, although with far more humor.
I found the live performance on this SACD to be utterly perfect. Furthermore, for the first time ever listening to any recording, I was repeatedly startled by the lifelike quality of the sound, particularly the horns, xylophone, and grand piano, which often seemed to have magically appeared in my living room. Highest recommendation.
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