Los Tangueros

Like his frequent partner, Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax has become infatuated with the tangos of Astor Piazzolla. Ax sought out pianist Pablo Ziegler, a long-time member of Piazzolla's ensemble, to make these arrangements and perform them with him. With his innate musicianship and Ziegler as a tutor, Ax has entered wholeheartedly into the world of the New Tango. These performances have just the right feeling for rhythm and color. Whether you need an album of Piazzolla on two pianos is another question. I'd say get some of Piazzolla's own recordings first. But for piano tango this album is a total success. --Leslie Gerber Amazon.com essential recording

Amazing

There is a certain intensity in Piazzola's music that is hard to describe. It can be very powerful and nostalgic at the same time, very energetic and extremely mellow. Rumor has it that when Piazzola was studing music, his teacher pesuaded him to go back to his natural instrument, the bandoneon, as Piazzola had proven to play it with a special sensitivity.
While played in the bandoneon , Piazzola's music reaches all its Argentinean identity and character, but in the piano- in this case two of them- his music transforms and gets a richness that is really imppresive. I can't imagine two better piano players to deliver the passion of Piazzola's music. Emmanuel Ax and Pablo Ziegler are amazing together. Los Tangueros is a classic for all the Piazzola fans. July 15, 2005

Typical Piazzolla...Extraordinary

The quintessential Piazzolla is presented here in a rapturous performance by several artists in their own right. I was attracted to this recording because I play the piano and the idea of Emanual Ax and Pablo Ziegler (another one of those classical-Tango joint venture a la Yo Yo Ma) performing Tango was too much to pass up.

The transcriptions are very, very good. In fact, though one can readily distinguish the sound from the classic Tango ensemble, the music is seamless. It works! Of particular interest is "La muerte del angel". One wishes that the "angel" trilogy could be presented in one package instead of spread out over several recordings. And speaking of transcripts, a German firm now distributes piano versions of Piazzolla tangos in three volumes.

While I'm wishing, it would be great if someone recorded the entire body of Piazzolla compositions in one collection. March 5, 2003

A Christlike Performance

I was unfamiliar with Emanuel Ax, very familiar with Pablo Ziegler, and ultra familiar with the work of Astor Piazzolla, so I decided to give this CD a try. The only disappointment is that there are only 12 songs on this recording. It must have been difficult for Piazzolla acolyte Ziegler to decide which of the hundreds of worthy Piazzolla compositions to record. In the end, he did a great job not only in selecting a variety of Piazzolla styles, but also in selecting those which fit his conception of this project. Its hard to choose a favorite here though if pressed, I'd name the stately Soledad followed closely by the equally majestic Tangata. Ziegler's arrangements are impeccable. He proves that a lot of music can spring from two pianos with no other instrumentation needed when the arrangements are right. I heartily recommend this album not only to Piazzolla fans, but to fans of the piano. I hope that Ax and Ziegler soon offer an encore to this Christlike performance. August 2, 2000

superb playing of great music

Piazzola does for tango what Gershwin did for the blues. And there is no better medium to hear what Piazzola is up to than these splendid arrangements for two pianos. Emanuel Ax, of course, is one of America's best living pianists. With Ziegler, he forms an unforgettable team. Highly worthwhile. August 6, 1999

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