Urlicht AudioVisual is deeply saddened to learn of the death of pianist Octavio Brunetti, considered the leading tango pianist and arranger of his generation, at age 39, following a long hospitalization for an unexpected infectious illness.
The label was honored to record Octavio, a Grammy®-winning artist, last year with violinist Elmira Darvarova in a program of his original arrangements of music by Ástor Piazzolla, desde ESTUDIOS a TANGOS. The recording will be released on September 2.
Over the last two decades, Ástor Piazzolla (1921-1992) has emerged as one of the twentieth century’s most popular composers. Piazzolla revitalized and reinvented Argentina’s tango, taking it from the dance floor onto the world’s concert stages and transforming it into tango nuevo (`new tango`). One of the most prolific composers ever, Piazzolla wrote over 3000 works and performed extensively around the globe, collaborating with musicians ranging from jazz god Dizzy Gillespie to legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.
Octavio Brunetti has been called `the inheritor of [Ástor] Piazzolla’s mantle` and today’s most prominent pianistic interpreter and arranger of Argentinian tango. `PIAZZOLLA — desde ESTUDIOS a TANGOS` teams Brunetti with violinist Elmira Darvarova — the first woman concertmaster of the MET Orchestra — in their second CD collaboration.
Included is the world premiere recording of Piazzolla’s six solo `Etudes tanguistiques` in new versions for violin accompanied by piano by Octavio Brunetti, along with his new, atmospheric and colorful arrangements of six of Piazzolla’s most popular tangos. The popularity of Piazzolla’s music continues to increase with each passing year, and this new release will bring the tuneful, dramatic Etudes Tanguistiques, previously seen as `serious` virtuoso solo studies, to a far broader audience.
desde Estusios a Tangos
Ástor Piazzolla
6 Études tanguistiques • Introducción al Ángel • Night Club 1960 • Milonga del Ángel • Vardarito • Resurreccion del Ángel • Revolucionario
Elmira Darvarova, violin
Octavio Brunetti, piano
Recorded January 19, 2013 at Gill Chapel, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
Engineered and edited by John C. Baker
Produced by Gene Gaudette
Urlicht AudioVisual UAV-CD-5991
CD release date: September 9, 2014