Cuarteto Rotterdam - Yunta de Oro

Despite its name, the Cuarteto Rotterdam is ... from Berlin!
With a classical structure (piano, bandoneón, violin, double bass), this orchestra of 3 girls and only one boy (Michael Dolak, the bandoneón player) presents a CD of no less than 17 tracks lasting a total of 65 minutes, so we are not short-changed here! But evidently, this consideration is only valid if the content is up to scratch, which is certainly the case.
As Gustavo Beytelmann underlines in his brief presentation appearing on the CD, its trump cards are the professional excellence of its members and their knowledge of the tango and its history, which has allowed them to develop a sound of their own. Indeed, most of the arrangements of the titles presented here are by Michael Dolak or Susanne Cordula Welsch (the violinist of the gang). We nevertheless note a collaboration with DJ Eniless on Piazzola’s Escualo, with a percussion accompaniment which is very well integrated into the group’s interpretation.
The revived tracks essentially derive from the sphere of Pugliese (Osvaldo Ruggiero or Osvaldo Pugliese), Julián Plaza or Astor Piazzolla.
It is also impossible not to mention a composition by Coco Nelegatti “milonga del serafin”, a veiled allusion to Piazzolla’s “milonga del angel”, which is very finely crafted, or “atrapante” signed by Eduardo Lettera.
Finally, to give a personal opinion, I can only endorse the interpretation of titles such as “yunta de oro” or “amorando”.
In short, an interesting piece of work for an orchestra which has not yet been seen in concert, but which puts its name to a promising piece of work of unquestionable quality.

Eric Schmitt
Tangorama, No. 6 February 2008

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