Reviews - Concerti for Two Guitars and Strings

CD Review

BUFFALO NEWS: GUSTO – MUSIC

THE CASTELLANI-ANDRIACCIO GUITAR DUO

"Concerti for Two Guitars and Strings"
(Fleur de Son Classics FDS 57952)
4 STARS * * * *

Does anyone epitomize elegance like Buffalo's Castellani-Andriaccio guitar duo? Not only is this husband-and-wife team experts on wines and olive oils, as Janice Okun has written recently on The News' food pages, but they turn out shimmering music that would sound as at home in a polished cabaret as in a fine concert hall.

Joanne Castellani and Michael Andriaccio's latest, performed with the Israel Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Arie Lipsky, sashays suavely across the centuries. It starts with a double concerto by tango master Astor Piazzolla, introduced by glowing solos, and winds up with a Vivaldi concerto fu;; of buoyant riffs and courtly fanfares.

In between, there are some surprises. The guitarists go for Baroque with a concerto in D minor, originally written for oboe, by Alessandro Marcello, whose halts, starts and repeating patterns bring to mind Vivaldi. Into the near-present we go with a world premiere recording of Roberto Sierra's "Fantasia Corelliana" which explores, in a contemporary context, the exquisite grace of Arcangelo Corelli.

Guess what? It's all good, from the hints of electronica in the Corelli tribute (I couldn't stop playing the first movement) to the restless edginess of the tango. This record shines like candlelight. Thank heavens for people with pluck.

~ Mary Kunz
BUFFALO NEWS
GUSTO – March 1, 2002