The truth is out there, we are told. So, to judge from the continuing wave of issues of Piazzolla’s works, we must assume that there is an insatiable public, somewhere, avid for more recordings of a composer who was all but unknown to the record catalogue until eight years ago.
It takes two to tango, they say; but when the two are flute and guitar, exotic and sensual colour cannot but be limited, especially when they are separated and heard on their own. But the highly accomplished players here do everything possible, by subtleties of tone and articulation, to bring out the differing characters of the four movements of the History of the Tango (1900 bordello, 1930 cafe, 1960 night-club, present-day concert) – the only work here originally written for this instrumental combination – and, alone of the current versions of it, do not make me feel that it outstays its welcome. For all Patrick Gallois’s considerable artistry, I cannot say the same about the six Etudes for solo flute (whose tango basis is more elusive), though individual etudes (especially the ebulliently rhythmic No. 3, the perky, short No. 5 and the virtuoso No. 6) will commend themselves to flautists. The traditional tango rhythm is more overt in the solo guitar arrangements of Estaciones Portenas (“Four seasons in Buenos Aires”, recently heard in a version by Barenboim and friends of his – Teldec, 11/96): to these Goran Sollscher brings the utmost tonal sensitivity, with outstanding performances of “Autumn” and the more diffuse “Summer”. Perhaps the most appealing item on this disc, however, is the arrangement of “Tango No. 2”, which exudes a seductive charm.'