Title: A Rhythmic Jumble
Review: Sophie Yates is a fine technician, and this is an admirable program. But it annoys the hell out of me, because it constantly falls out of rhythmic focus, becoming a jumble of notes instead of the invigorating musical experience it could have been. The primary melodic lines are often drowned out by the guitar-strumming backgrounds, which lose their impetus as a result. The tricky caesuras, particularly in the Soler Fandango, are just plain botched.My absolute favorite Soler Fandango is a mind-blowing traversal by Jonathan Woods, but the touchstone in this repertory is the work of the late Fernando Valenti, whose immersion in the electrifying spirit of Scarlatti in Iberia sent sparks up my spine. Here, there are a few stretches where one hears the music with clarity -- until it all falls apart.
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