Reviews for
GMCD 7169 - Horacio Franco Recorders
Gramphone June 2000
The Art of Horacio Franco
Sammartini Recorder Concerto in F
Telemann Suite in A minor, TWV55:a2
Vivaldi Recorder Concertos – D, "Il gardellino",
RV428; C, RV444, A minor, RV445; in G, RV437
Georgian CO / Horacio Franco recs
Guild GMCD 7169 (69 minutes: DDD)
There are other middle-of-the-road recordings of all these winsome works, but in none
does the recorder sound more fleet of tongue and fingers; Horacio Franco, an
Amsterdam-trained Mexican, sparkles and bubbles in the up-tempo outer movements and in the
slow ones he is as expressive as the recorder permits. The Georgian CO is equally spruce
and stylish in the well-balanced recording. Warmly recommended.
John Duarte
THE PRODUCER JONATHAN R WEARN WRITES TO NEIL
EVANS - EDITOR CLASSIC CD
Dear Neil Evans.
Horacio Franco Guild GMCD7169
Once in a lifetime (in my case thrice) one meets a young musician who threatens to
seriously break musical boundaries! I encountered Horacio Franco as a very young musician
at the Mexico City Conservatory where he was introduced to me by Angelica Morales (Mrs.
Von Sauer) and Mtro. Montiel the director. They presented him as perhaps amongst one of
the brightest of the young Mexican musicians of the future. They were so right!
I since heard him more recently with the Academy of St Martins in the Fields in St. John's
Smith Square with my partner for the evening Joanne Bennett (the distinguished flautist
under Fritz Reiner's baton at the Chicago Symphony) who immediately told me I had to
record him! Horacio is now a globe trotting soloist who has transformed the image of
the recorder!
Your reviewer Barry Witherden, enjoys his playing but allows for the possibility of
"stitching together multiple takes". This happened with one rather famous
flautist on many an occasion, but, it is not the case here! Mr. Witherden is most
welcome to hear all the takes.... A very serious body builder, Horacio employs a technique
known as "Circular breathing" and can play and does - long 40 second passages
without seemingly taking a breath. Anyone that has seen him in concert can attest
to this as well the many musicians who have played with him on stage.
In other words....... no stitching here!
Thanks for the very nice reviews
Classic CD – February 2000 - Page
74
SAMMARTINI
Concerto in F major for (Con 195) for sopranino recorder
TELEMANN
Suite in A minor for alto recorder, strings and basso continuo
VIVALDI
Concertos for sopranino recorder strings and bassoContinuo; Concerto VI in G majo (Opus
10/6) for alto recorder strings and basso Continuo
Horacio Franco (recorders); The Georgian CO Guild GMCD7169
69:2ODDD
The cover bears a dark. Brooding portrait of Franco, very
Mephistopholean, and the allegro in the A minor concerto immediately convinces you
he must have signed a pact with the Devil; Paganini-like The recorder was never meant to
be played that fast or that funky OK, We all know about what can be achieved in the
editing suite, but even allowing for the possibility of stitching together multiple takes
there is some amazing playing here Oddly, the only time Franco really falters is on some
of the slower passages, such as the largo in the Vivaldi D major and the siciliano
in Sammartini's concerto in F, where his intonation is rather wavery
If the imagery of the packaging is stygian, the music is full of
colour an light and both soloist and ensemble play with vivacity, incisiveness and
precision The sound is bright and full-bodied. Most of these pieces are probably better
known in flute versions, but they work as well. if no better, on recorder, not least Il
Gardellino, .the
Goldfinch" Barry Witherden
Baroque at its bright, beguiling best
Page revised 03.09.2000
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