“Soloist for the work’s first London performance in 1921 was the composer himself; and I am sure he would have approved of the pianist here: the internationally much admired Brazilian Clélia Iruzun who is based in London.”

“The Brazilian pianist Clélia Iruzun has recorded two concerto discs with van Steen for Somm and she is featured in Falla’s evocative ‘Nights in the Gardens of Spain’, one can almost feel the scented evening breezes.”

“The music glitters in a way that makes one wonder if this is truly a night piece. I very much admired Iruzun’s pianism; she’s not only highly skilled but also audibly in the spirit of the music. This is an excellent recording of Noches en los jardines de España.”

“Some of the piano passages, as in a concerto, demand technical flair from the performer, and Brazilian pianist Clélia Iruzun is more than up to the task. Her graceful phrasing, runs and arpeggios echo the faint nocturnal sounds of a distant brook, or winds rushing through the trees, and paint a highly evocative canvas.”

“[Clelia’s] graceful phrasing, runs and arpeggios echo the faint nocturnal sounds of a distant brook, or winds rushing through the trees, and paint a highly evocative canvas.”

“She has passion and dexterity, and she’s so resourceful.

This kind of flamenco style and the passion that she has, and her rhythmic drive — absolutely all across this.”

“Van Steen’s approach to Nights in the Gardens of Spain is vividly coloured rather than impressionistic, placing the pianist Clélia Iruzun as a dreamer inside a glowing landscape rather than out front as a conventional concerto soloist.”

“Iruzun is limpid and unaffected, and while there’s no shortage of poetry here, this is a performance that would surely go a long way towards converting anyone who’s never really ‘got’ this glorious but increasingly neglected work.”

The present performance does full justice to Falla’s brilliant score, Spanish to the core without concealing the undeniable French influences, which only makes sense: it was written in 1907-14 when Falla was living in Paris. Ms Clelia plays the solo part with an alert, nuanced, unforced touch, while conductor Van Steen and his players give us a vital, fragrant, colorful, sonorous performance. Everybody works hand-in-glove to give a fresh, unvarnished account of this gorgeous score. I have never really had a “go-to” recording of this work. Now I do.