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Contrary to what the title would lead you to expect, this is not ethnic music, but classical orchestra pieces, many of them arrangements of Basque songs. With the conspicuous exception of the Ravel, the music is generally derivative and insipid, at times annoyingly so. There is an occasional nice bit, such as #3, "religiosa" of the Diez melodías (track 3) or #4, Tun kurrum kutun from the Ocho Canciones (track 15) but then you are frustrated at having no information whatever on the music, text, or composers, only pictures of the orchestra, composers and artists, and the reference to the full CDs. However, since these excerpt disks have the very best bits on them, nothing I heard here would lead me to any effort to hear more of the same. Orchestral playing, solo performances (e.g., Asier Polo, cello, track 11), and conducting are thoroughly competent, occasionally brilliant. What information there is focuses on the orchestra itself, mostly self-congratulation, and by the time this is said in five languages (including Basque) there’s no room for anything else.

I’ll pass this one along to our local Basque Cultural Center; I’m sure they’ll love it and I’ll never miss it.

Paul Shoemaker

Tim Mahon rather liked this disc

CD Price: £ 14.00 - Download Price:
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