Deux célèbres mélodies populaires

Ariel Ramirez wrote his masterpiece Alfonsina y el Mar as a homage to Alfonsina Carolina Storni who is considered one of the most eminent Latin american poets of the 20th century and who committed suicide by drowning in 1938. The universally-known Neopolitan song O Sole Mio written in 1898 by Eduardo di Capua has been performed and arranged by a great many artists from Caruso, Gigli and Lanza through to Elvis and Bryan Adams. Both these renowned melodies are presented in this new album arranged for guitar and mandolin by the inimitable French guitarist Roland Dyens. Anyone familiar with Dyens' style of composing and performing will know what to expect here and they won't be disappointed in the least. There are heaps of musical directions throughout the score, all of these being clarified in a two-page Notation chart and the technical standard required throughout both pieces is very high. The rewards however are great: these are not just good arrangements, they are superb, The harmonies and melodic variations used throughout makes this new album an absolute must for any pairing of these instruments, What with a lengthy article on Dyens, a brief biography of Storni, a full detailed score very nicely typeset and separate parts for both players, this is a classy new edition in all respects. Recommended.
Steve Marsh (Classical Guitar Magazine)