Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Walton: 5 Bagatelles; Christopher Parkening

Lovers of the Concierto de Aranjuez breathed a sigh of relief when Christopher Parkening made this recording of it--his first--in 1992. The American guitarist delivers an interpretation rich in feeling and nuance; his playing, remarkable for its elegance, for the astonishing evenness of the fingerwork, and above all for beauty and variety of tone, freshly illuminates a justly familiar work. Parkening brings the flamenco elements of the conception to the fore and ornaments the concerto's slow movement in an especially appealing manner. He is backed by a wonderfully alert reading of the score from Litton and the RPO. The sound is excellent. --Ted Libbey