Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneon by Piazzolla

Canadian guitarist Adam Cicchillitti with Denis Plante (bandoneon), Boris Brott (conductor), and the Orchestre classique de Montréal perform Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneon by Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992). This comes via Cicchillitti’s YouTube channel.  The movements: Introduction, Milonga (3:56), Tango (9:42). Great playing by Cicchillitti with excellent rhythmic delivery and silky lines and phrasing throughout. Here’s what he mentions on his YouTube:

This video is from a live performance of the double concerto for guitar and bandoneon by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla, performed on June 8, 2021 in Montreal, Québec at Salle Pierre-Mercure. Piazzolla is perhaps the most famous bandoneon player in history and was responsible for democratizing the instrument internationally. A student of famous pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, Piazzolla devoted his life to bringing the tango from the streets of Argentina into concert halls worldwide. His double concerto for guitar and bandoneon, “Homage à liège”, is one of two concerti that he wrote for his instrument. Piazzolla was also a prolific composer of music for guitar. It amazes me every time I open a new score written by Piazzolla; the composer wrote incredibly well and idiomatically for our instrument despite not being a native player of the guitar. I am honoured to have had the opportunity to perform this piece with the incredible Québecois bandoneon player Denis Plante and the Orchestre classique de Montréal, led by Maestro Boris Brott.

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