{"id":142540,"date":"2023-11-06T09:58:46","date_gmt":"2023-11-06T17:58:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/?p=142540"},"modified":"2023-11-06T09:58:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-06T17:58:51","slug":"review-the-blue-album-by-spanish-virtuoso-pablo-sainz-villegas-is-an-intriguing-often-meditative-sonic-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acousticguitar.com\/review-the-blue-album-by-spanish-virtuoso-pablo-sainz-villegas-is-an-intriguing-often-meditative-sonic-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: \u2018The Blue Album\u2019 by Spanish Virtuoso Pablo S\u00e1inz-Villegas Is an Intriguing, Often Meditative Sonic Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Pablo<\/a>
Pablo S\u00e1inz-Villegas, The Blue Album<\/em> (Sony Classical)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pablo S\u00e1inz-Villegas has ascended to the upper echelon of successful classical guitarists through a combination of his extraordinary skill as a player, his warm and inviting stage persona, and by focusing on a broad but always accessible repertoire that spans the Baroque era to the present day. You\u2019re not going to hear angular and dissonant modern works from him. You will<\/em> hear a lot of familiar classics\u2014he is, after all, probably the most popular contemporary interpreter of Joaqu\u00edn Rodrigo\u2019s much-adored Concierto de Aranjuez<\/em>\u2014but also many engaging, lesser-known pieces that are strong on melody or rhythmically or harmonically interesting (or all three).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His latest album could be considered a \u201cmixed recital,\u201d as guitar albums that feature numerous styles and eras are often labeled, but in fact there is a thematic link to the 14 pieces that is revealed in the title, The Blue Album<\/a><\/em>. In this case, the \u201cblue\u201d is an intangible but consistent mood that permeates and curiously unites the short works. S\u00e1inz-Villegas says that \u201cblue stands for a particularly intimate mood.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listeners will have their own opinions of what that mood means to them\u2014for me, the pieces share a serene, mysterious, contemplative quality that I find both compelling and pleasantly mind-opening. The tempos are almost all relaxed and unhurried, yet there is never a moment of sameness because there is such a wide variety of styles among the pieces, and exquisite melodies reign supreme. Perhaps needless to say, the playing by the Spanish virtuoso (performed on a 2007 Matthias Dammann guitar) is both technically superb and emotionally satisfying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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