It’s actually a bit surprising to me that the combination of guitar and oboe isn’t more common than it is. After all, the oboe’s close relative, the cor anglais, plays a major role in the famous “Adagio” of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez (and many orchestras substitute oboe). Beyond that, it’s a beautifully evocative instrument capable of surprising power and great emotional range, and it combines well with a supportive guitar.
Here, we find the Dutch duo of guitarist Enno Voorhorst and oboist Pauline Oostenrijk, who are both renowned soloists on their individual instruments, but also clearly in-sync together, as on this fine version of Astor Piazzolla’s Libertango. This piece appears on the duo album they put out last year called Modinha, which was favorably reviewed in Classical Guitar. And Voohorst also has a new album out, called Concerto Métis, devoted entirely to works by the late Roland Dyens. —Blair Jackson
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