Avi Avital – Between Worlds (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

A genre-defying tour of the globe exploring the nexus between classical, popular and traditional music uniquely inhabited by Avi Avital and his magical mandolin. From Bach to Bluegrass to Balkan Beats, Avi Avital plays all with charismatic charm. After the success of “Bach”, Avi returns to again defy expectations with a selection of beautiful melodies and delightful dances from Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas, each with roots in popular folk traditions, arranged by some of the world’s greatest classical composers. For this journey, Avi is joined by a host of special guests: from music legends such as Richard Galliano and Giora Feidman, to DG stars such as Catrin Finch, accompanied by a hand-picked ensemble of virtuoso friends from around the world. Repertoire highlights include the popular Monti Czardas, Bachianas Brasilieras (Villa-Lobos), Bloch’s spiritual Nigun, the finale from Dvořák’s “American” String Quartet, Spanish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Cuban and Georgian folk dances, and a very special Piazzolla tango.

Composer: Sulkhan Tsintsadze, Béla Bartók, Traditional, Heitor Villa-Lobos, …
Performer: Klaus Stoll, Avi Avital, Itamar Doari, Richard Galliano, …
Orchestra/Ensemble: Potsdam Chamber Academy

Fresh off an album of music by Bach, Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital returns with an album of 20th century music influenced by folk traditions. Much is made in the booklet about the boundary-crossing nature of the program, but really, aside from the fairly unusual but entirely appropriate music by Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze, it is a pretty standard collection of ethnic material. It stands out for several reasons, however, one of which is simply that it’s been a while since the mandolin has been asked to do so many different things. Another is the arrangements, some of which are by Avital himself: they surround the mandolin with delicate little groups of strings and/or harp, accordion, clarinet, and percussion. The effect is to set off many of the quieter mandolin effects, all of which are very elegantly executed, quite clearly. Major credit is due to Deutsche Grammophon’s engineers, working at the Siemens-Villa Konzertsaal studio in Berlin, but Avital himself contributes a kind of confidence that makes you forget you’re listening to a mandolin playing all kinds of things it wasn’t designed for. His version of Astor Piazzolla’s Fuga y misterio provides fresh evidence of the adaptability of that composer’s music to almost any medium, and really only the Siete canciones populares españolas of Falla don’t quite make the transition successfully. A must for mandolin lovers.

Tracklist:
01. Avi Avital – Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes – Sachidao (01:55)
02. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 1. Bot tánc / Jocul cu bâtă (Stick Dance) (01:14)
03. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 2. Brâul (Sash Dance) (00:31)
04. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 3. Topogó / Pe loc (In One Spot) (01:15)
05. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 4. Bucsumí tánc / Buciumeana (Dance From Bucsum) (01:37)
06. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 5. Román polka / Poarga Românească (Romanian Polka) (00:30)
07. Avi Avital – 6 Roumanian Folk Dances, BB 68, Sz. 56 – 6. Aprózó / Măruntel (Fast Dance) (01:00)
08. Avi Avital – Bučimiš (03:00)
09. Avi Avital – Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 – Aria (Cantilena) (05:19)
10. Avi Avital – Fuga y misterio (07:40)
11. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 1. El paño moruno (01:56)
12. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 2. Seguidilla murciana (01:08)
13. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 3. Asturiana (02:13)
14. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 4. Jota (03:05)
15. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 5. Nana (02:14)
16. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 6. Canción (01:13)
17. Avi Avital – Siete canciones populares españolas – 7. Polo (01:16)
18. Avi Avital – Csárdás (04:34)
19. Avi Avital – Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes – Shepherd’s Dance (01:22)
20. Avi Avital – Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes – Song (02:10)
21. Avi Avital – Miniatures On Georgian Folk Themes – Dance Tune (01:09)
22. Avi Avital – Baal Shem – 2. Nigun (06:25)
23. Avi Avital – Freilach Ron – Klezmer Improvisation (04:01)
24. Avi Avital – Hen Ferchetan (03:57)
25. Avi Avital – Baal Shem – 2. Nigun (Solo Version / Bonus Track) (05:54)
26. Avi Avital – Vocalise en Forme de Habanera (Bonus Track) (03:02)