R E V I E W S:

"By 1941, the year of the Concierto del sur, Ponce’s style had changed and matured, he having meanwhile studied in Paris with Dukas; and this is one of the best guitar concertos in the repertory (though far outdone in popularity by a much inferior work by a composer 20 years his junior); its Mexican character is evident in the festive finale. Moreno’s performance is strong in urgency and intensity.."
-- Lionel Salter, GRAMOPHONE Reviewing original release ASV 952)

"The popularity of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez and Fantasia para un gentilhombre is evident in the number of recordings listed in The Gramophone Classical Catalogue; his only other solo guitar and orchestra work, Concierto para una fiesta, has previously been recorded only by Pepe Romero, its dedicatee (on a three-disc Philips set). I am surprised that it has taken so long for someone to get round to putting all three on a single disc. When the Concierto para una fiesta was first recorded, Pepe Romero (who is justly proud of his facility) and Rodrigo chuckled over the prospect of watching, from heaven, others struggling to play the work. Well, neither of them is up there yet but Moreno spoils their fun by despatching it with what sounds like the greatest of ease – and without the help of any slower tempo. He is equally the technical master of the other two, more familiar works...as a neat package containing all three works, played with spectacular virtuosity and with adequate orchestral support, with the soloist audible in places where some recordings fail to rescue him from drowning in an orchestral sea (as at 3'40'' in the opening movement of Aranjuez), this disc will be attractive to many collectors of this genre of music." -- John Duarte, GRAMOPHONE (Review of original release ASV 887)