Guitarra Mía: Tangos by Gardel and Piazzolla

Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) and Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) remain the undisputed giants of Argentinian tango. The former was a crooner, film star and legend of the 1920s and 30s. The latter was a classically trained, jazz-inspired revolutionary bandoneón (squeezebox) player and bandleader – the last great moderniser. American guitarist Franz Halász might seem to be playing it super-safe by offering a sampling of their standards, but he brings a vital freshness to the endeavour and, to some extent, reconnects two far-flung eras. ‘Guitarra Mía’ is an estilo (folk genre with Peruvian elements) composed by Gardel, here stripped of Alfredo Le Pera's lyrics; it truly excels as an instrumental track. It's meditative and delicate, and, thanks to Halász's fingerwork, the phrasing is executed to perfection. The Piazzolla songs, more complex and cerebral, invite greater expressiveness. Fine arrangements give these almost symphonic power. Piazzolla's ‘Cinco Piezas para Guitarra’ is a five-movement sequence that allows Halász to showcase all his virtuosity and range. If the guitar lacks the lung-like human essence of the bandoneón, it can provide percussive beats and has a physical energy that evokes tango's leg-twisting spirals and sharp turns. A stirring, strident album of classy covers.