The tango-classical fusions of
Astor Piazzolla can stand up to a great variety of musical treatments, and indeed
Piazzolla himself performed them with ensembles of various sizes and wrote for conventional classical forces on occasion. Treatments of
Piazzolla's music by
Gidon Kremer and others have proved that the bandoneón -- the concertina-like instrument that
Piazzolla himself played -- is not necessary to a successful realization of his late-night mood. In this recording by
El último tango, a group of players from the
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in England, a group of famous
Piazzolla works are transcribed for the chamber ensemble of flute, saxophone, cello, piano, and double bass (one piece, Oblivion, is played by cello and piano alone). Throughout, the group emphasizes the French neo-Classic shapes of
Piazzolla's music and downplays its tango-ness.
Even over and above the missing bandoneón, they are at pains to minimize the rhythmic drive of
Piazzolla's tangos. The piano is kept very much in check. It is indeed intriguing to realize that a great deal of otherwise hidden detail emerges from
Piazzolla's music when this is done. His masterpiece Adiós Nonino here takes on the tuxedos and music stands of a piece of classical chamber music. It's unorthodox, but successful on its own terms. It's hard to imagine
Piazzolla's very Argentine mood of despair and acerbity being replaced with a sort of potted-palm reserve, but sample and hear it for yourself -- and realize that there is still more to
Piazzolla than you thought there was, for the music can stand up to this, too. This very British
Piazzolla is nobody's choice for a first disc of music by the great Argentine, but those enamored of
Piazzolla's classical side should give it a listen if only for the sheer novelty of the interpretation.