The Free-Reed Review
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CD Review: Lacides Romero
Acordeon En Concierto

Lacides Romero:Piano Accordion

Program:

Sarabanda en Re menor:Handel
Allegro in Re Menor: Handel
Chacona en variaciones: Handel
La Roxelane:Haydn
Danza Noruega No. 2:Grieg
Hora Staccatto:Dinicu
El veulo del Moscardon: Korsakov
Danza Eslava No. 8: Dvorak
Variaciones al Carnaval de Venecia:Romero
1.Vals 2. Guabina 3. Pasillo 4.Bambucco 5. Danza 6.Joropo 7. Porro

total time: 38 min. and 29 sec.
released: unknown
review date: December, 2000

Order from: The Classical Free-Reed, Inc. Online Gift Store


Review by Robert Karl Berta :

Lacides Romero is a self-taught Colombian accordionist. He teaches at the University in Bogota and Medelin. Here he performs a series of well known classic selections using a unique piano accordion that has been modified by his father. Changes were made in all registers as well as alterations in the wood used in the instrument and this resulted in a most unique instrument. I would have loved to see and hear this instrument first hand and given a chance to play it!

Lacides has nice technique and a nice musical interpretation. I was a little put off by some inappropriate bellows direction changes. Since this recording focuses on non-South American composers you may wonder why he didn't add some of the wonderful music of Latin America. Lacides thoughtfully provided another recording of Latin music that I reviewed (see link below). I am very grateful that he didn't combine the two. Those who have seen my earlier reviews know that I have strong feelings about those who combine a wide variety of musical genres on one recording. When done this tends to make the recording more of a "resume" rather than a serious musical recording.

The recorded quality here is decent although not among the best I have heard...miking was a little harsh sounding but acceptable.

I enjoyed all the selections here. The Handel selections were especially very nice and Lacides interpretations were well thought out. But my favorite were his arrangements of variations on the Carnival of Venice. In these selections he brought in some Latin influences to the Italian theme music...and it makes for a novel approach and is very different than the standard variations we accordionists hear all the time on this well worn melody.

The only major short coming of this recording is the short length of 38:29 minutes...I wish he had included some more materials to take advantage of the CD format. Overall I thought this was a nice recording...among the best I have heard from South America of classic music...but make sure you check out his other recording of Latin tunes: Contrastes ....you might want to pick up both.

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