{"product_id":"dominguez-the-legend-of-joaquin-murieta","title":"Domínguez: The Legend of Joaquín Murieta","description":"\u003ca class=\"links\" href=\"http:\/\/blog.naxos.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/8.573515-16.mp3\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eListen to the Naxos Podcast to learn more about this release\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Great fun! A new full-length ballet, especially one as tuneful as this, with an exciting story, is always a welcome addition to both the ballet repertoire and to recorded music.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  José Luis Domínguez, who also conducts on this set, is a significant figure in Chilean music as a conductor. This ballet is his first large-scale symphonic work. It is little surprise that, like many conductor-composers, he has such a sure sense of orchestral balance and capability, something evident throughout this work.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The ballet tells a simple story – with plenty of action, set in California – of Joaquín Murieta, a nineteenth century brigand, perhaps the inspiration for Zorro. His origins are obscure, but he has been adopted as something of a folk hero in Chile from where he might have originated. Pablo Neruda wrote a play about him, later turned into an opera by Sergio Ortega. Those works end with a gruesome finale as Murieta is shot and beheaded.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Domínguez ignores that, instead creating a tale set during the Gold Rush, in which Murieta and his men come to the rescue of a town under threat from the villainous Galgos. There is no decapitation but rather the happy outcome of reunion with the beloved Teresa. Think of this as a blend between Robin Hood and The Magnificent Seven.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  The comparison is apposite, as Domínguez is quite specific that his music is inspired by symphonic soundtracks of composers such as Korngold, Herrmann and Williams. That is a clue not only to its style, but also to his idea that it should work as a stand-alone piece. This recording is a must for anyone who enjoys the great film-scores: all the virtues of sweeping themes, varied instrumentation and memorable tunes are here.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Performances are committed and in the best Hollywood tradition, with good recorded quality.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  If a great ballet company such as the Royal Ballet were to take this into their repertory, one could imagine it quickly becoming a popular hit, rather in the manner of Khachaturian’s Spartacus. A fine ballet conductor, like Barry Wordsworth, would relish this score.\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  – MusicWeb International (Michael Wilkinson)\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Track Listing\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Act I\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e  Prologue [4.26]\u003cbr\u003e  The town’s people [3.53]\u003cbr\u003e  Teresa [7.12]\u003cbr\u003e  The Galgos’ Entrance (The imprisonment of the innocent) [3.17]\u003cbr\u003e  Joaquín Murieta’s entrance [3.20]\u003cbr\u003e  Teresa and Joaquín (pas de deux) [4.48]\u003cbr\u003e  Tresdedos [1.50]\u003cbr\u003e  Exit of the town’s people [1.30]\u003cbr\u003e  El Caballero Tramposo (The drunk variation) [2.04]\u003cbr\u003e  Murieta’s entrance (The freeing of the prisoners – The battle) [6.27]\u003cbr\u003e  Murieta and Tresdedos [3.25]\u003cbr\u003e  The leader of the Galgos interrogates the disguised Murieta [2.37]\u003cbr\u003e  The bustling town [2.04]\u003cbr\u003e  The women’s entrance (Variation) [4.40]\u003cbr\u003e  The leader of the Galgos flirts with one of the wives [6.07]\u003cbr\u003e  Interlude (Teresa’s Song) [3.48]\u003cbr\u003e  The town’s festivities and the Nobleman’s Spanish Dance [5.07]\u003cbr\u003e  The toast and the people’s dance [4.26]\u003cbr\u003e  The disguised Murieta’s intrusion [4.36]\u003cbr\u003e  Entrance of Murieta’s men and battle [6.15]\u003cbr\u003e  Teresa and Joaquín’s reunion (Pas de deux) [11.17]\u003cbr\u003e  Epilogue [2.31]","brand":"Naxos","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":49644169593112,"sku":"747313351572","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0687\/4346\/3192\/files\/3381555_5c7ff7c9-b35e-476e-ba43-c9a92a7faec7.jpg?v=1777767607","url":"https:\/\/hbdirect.com\/products\/dominguez-the-legend-of-joaquin-murieta","provider":"HBDirect","version":"1.0","type":"link"}