This is a fairly standard collection of orchestral showpieces of 20th century Spanish music, and every work on this disc can be found on dozens if not hundreds of other releases. What remains is the question of performance values and sound, and these are quite good. Maestro Serebrier is noted for his skillful handling of strongly ethnic, strongly Romantic works, particularly of French and Spanish composers. The standout here is Isaac Albéniz’s Iberia suite. Originally written for piano, Iberia was later orchestrated by the composer’s friend, Fernandez Arbos. Whenever Iberia is performed today it’s in the Arbos transcription. Particularly effective is “El Puerto”, the lilting second movement. Serebrier gives the music a lushness that contrasts with, for example, the countless Eugene Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra versions that tend toward orchestral fireworks that sparkle and glitter. Serebrier’s touch is more sultry than Ormandy’s and is probably the most appropriate to this music. The most closely “postmodern” work here is a coy version of Tomas Márco’s Arbol De Arcangeles and the only vocal work is the Cinco Canciones Negras by Xavier Montsalvatge, sung by soprano Carol Farley in an engaging performance that finds the proper balance between flirtatiousness and sultriness. All the way around, a satisfying collection.
