“As always, Azabagic’s playing is clean smooth, and effortlessly musical.”
American Record Guide
American Record Guide
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Critic's Choice American Record Guide 2020
“Flutist Eugenia Moliner and guitarist Denis Azabagic are without a doubt one of my favorite Duos. Here they bring us The Folias of Spain by Marin Marais and the 12 Fantasias of Telemann with a guitar accompaniment composed by Alan Thomas... the music It sizzles, it cooks, it steams. Gorgeous sound and gorgeous playing delight the ear... be certain to check out their other recordings” American Record Guide Read full review |
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SONIC MIGRATIONS, Music by Laurie Altman Released February 2017 Cavatina Duo Collaborates in one beautiful piece with Soprano Patrice Michaels in Music by Laurie Altman. The CD was just released by German Record Company, NEOS. Produced by Judith Sherman |
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Spurred by surprise discoveries in their family history, flutist Eugenia Moliner and guitarist Denis Azabagic celebrate centuries-old Spanish-Jewish music with newly commissioned works by Alan Thomas, Joseph V. Williams II, Carlos Rafael Rivera, David Leisner, and Clarice Assad.
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Critic's choice 2015
American Record Guide "...Stunning artists..."
"Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner and her Bosnian husband, guitarist Denis Azabagic, are consummate virtuosos not merely in their peerless technique but in sheer musicianship..." " This duo’s liquid, dramatic, and highly expressive sensitivities soar with lyricism and infectious rhythms as they tour the constantly changing moods of this opera’s arias..." "Moliner not only matches Joan Sutherland’s peerless full-voiced lyricism in the Verdi but is able to do things with her flute that a soprano can only dream of. And Azabagic is her Richard Bonynge, so expressive, integral, and orchestral in his guitar...read more" American Record Guide, US |
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"...Electrifying performances from the Cavatina Duo...
will leave listeners feeling lighter than air. A delight" Scene Magazine, UK |
"Breathtaking brilliance...."
Atlanta Audio Society, US |
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"Denis Azabagic is one of the finest guitarists before the public, whether as a soloist or in the Cavatina Duo with flutist (and wife) Eugenia Moliner. So any new release is a cause for celebration. And in both the playing and the repertoire, this disc extends his reputation."
Soundboard, November 2013 "...Azabagic’s idiomatic, technically flawless performances of this colorful repertoire should be required listening for guitar lovers everywhere.." Fanfare Magazine, March 2014 - - read full review "Guitarist Denis Azabagic is superb all the way through, and I can’t imagine the five composers being happier with performances of their works. It’s as if technical difficulties do not even exist, and his slow build-up from one near-silent thread of notes to a glorious full sunrise in Out of Africa bespeaks an equally impressive mastery of expression…." MusicWeb International, February 2014 |
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"This follows on the heels of their "Balkan Project", which I reviewed last time. From the dynamic contrasts of the opening track to the percussive sound board drumming in the Tango Etude 3, we are once again in for a treat. Let the sonic banquet begin, and bring your appetite! Everything here has been transcribed, and it all works superbly. ... Moliner and Azabagic have had to make decisions about pacing and voicing, which they have done intelligently. While this music is fully notated, their approach shows just how much has been left open to interpretation. The flute is picked up closely enough to make the experience visceral and capture all its nuances and tone colors. This recording has me believing for the first time that a flutist can achieve the expressive potential of a jazz saxophonist. Flutters, pitch bends, and air attacks all serve to underline the music's expressive potential, and both partners play with a maximum of expressive freedom (besides the extra percussion mentioned above, I could mention the expressive string squeaks in Adios Nonino - nice touch). |
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"Fascinating world of sound …..Irresistible pulse of the dances, All played to the manner born by Eugenia Moliner and her Balkan guitarist Denis Azabagic…. This music is for anybody who is responsive to music incorporating colourful and evocative melody and almost hypnotically joyful rhythm… Beautifully performed— Buy the disc." Flute - The journal of the British flute Society Magazine "Prepare to be alternately haunted and energized; the switch to alto flute on some tracks is especially evocative...Moliner exhibits exquisite control and plays with a wide range of dynamics and colors. Given all this, her excellent intonation should be noted as well. Azabagic’s adept playing ranges from tender touches to steely strums to vigorous slaps and even the occasional harmonic. " American Record Guide |
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"David Leisner's complete music for flute and guitar is here winningly performed by the Cavatina Duo, which presents these fetching works with style, sympathy, and technical aplomb. This is tonal music, rich in invention and melody, emotionally direct, and beautiful. The recording allows the instruments to speak naturally, with a balanced presence that reinforces the collaborative essence of the recital. Leisner’s lyricism, gift for melody, and compositional finesse make his music very appealing. In addition, it’s doubtful that the Cavatina’s sophisticated and artistic playing could be surpassed. There’s more potential in the union of flute and guitar than is commonly realized, and this CD provides an incentive to investigate additional repertoire. Cavatina has inspired and commissioned new music of this type and I, for one, look forward to hearing it as soon as possible. Warmly recommended..." Fanfare - read full review |
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"...we are treated to superlative performances of some hauntingly beautiful and little-known guitar music, played expertly here by Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagic.... Azabagic’s recording of the Col-lectici (apparently a catalan tittle) is much more balanced and singing than Yamashita’s, though he certainly has the virtuoso technique to handle its difficulties. His musical temperament in fact seems ideally suited to this music: serious and melancholic, but balanced with a light, agile approach to phrase shape and rhythmic nuance. Well recorded and attractively packaged, this is a perfect introduction to Asencio’s music." American Record Guide - read full review "The performance throughout is warm, expressive and thoughtful, and offers a considerable testament to the interpreter’s grasp of how to make player’s personal view of inspiration." Classical Guitar Magazine - read full review |
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Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagic has a great feel for Iberian music, as was apparent in his impressive recording of the complete works of mystical Spanish composer Vicente Asencio. The composers on this recital are more familiar; some of the pieces are among the most played in the literature. As always, Azabagic’s playing is clean, smooth, and effortlessly musical. The well-wornworks by Torroba, Barrios and Ponce get sophisticated readings here-sensitive,delicate, and finely etched. Azabagic’s marvelous consistent, round tone is specially effective in the Barrios, where the high melodic passages can sound brittle in lesser hands. Azabagic brings the same smooth tone and musical sensitivity to the Jose Sonata, a work that is rapidly becoming a standard in the repertory. His playing blends structural awareness with melodic fluency, at once formally tightening and softening the hard edges of a piece that I had previously found uninteresting and unlovely. American record Guide - read full review |
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"Due to the standing of the guitar in the classical musical community, you will rarely find a guitarist capable of commanding enough respect of his flutist to enforce such structure. Denis Azabagic, unquestionably one of the bright stars of the guitar, commands this respect. Victor in more competitions than any other guitarist in decades, Azabagic understands that his role as guitarist in the duo is secondary, but his extreme precision and clear ideas afford him the luxury of guiding the flutist through the compositions...Azabagic's clarity is rewarded by the lush and passionate lines played by Eugenia Moliner.... They truly dance their way through these pieces with Moliner flashing back and forth through the precise, rhythmic and controlled lines of Azabagic. " Guitarra Magazine, by Andrew Hull - read full review |
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