Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquess of the Gardens of Aranjuez (; 22 November 1901 – 6 July 1999), was a Spanish

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

and a

virtuoso A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such a ...

pianist. He is best known for composing the '' Concierto de Aranjuez'', a cornerstone of the classical guitar repertoire.

Life

Rodrigo was born in

Sagunto Sagunto ( ca-valencia, Sagunt) is a municipality of Spain, located in the province of Valencia, Valencian Community. It belongs to the modern fertile ''comarca'' of Camp de Morvedre. It is located c. 30 km north of the city of Valencia, ...

(

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. The wider urban area al ...

), and completely lost his sight at the age of three after contracting

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

. He began to study

solfège In music, solfège (, ) or solfeggio (; ), also called sol-fa, solfa, solfeo, among many names, is a music education method used to teach aural skills, pitch and sight-reading of Western music. Solfège is a form of solmization, though the tw ...

, piano and violin at the age of eight; harmony and composition from the age of 16. Although distinguished by having raised the Spanish guitar to dignity as a universal concert instrument and best known for his guitar music, he never mastered the instrument himself. He wrote his compositions in

Braille Braille (Pronounced: ) is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired, including people who are blind, deafblind or who have low vision. It can be read either on embossed paper or by using refreshable braille displ ...

, and they were transcribed for publication. Rodrigo studied music under Francisco Antich in

and under Paul Dukas at the École Normale de Musique in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. After briefly returning to Spain, he went to Paris again to study

musicology Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...

, first under

Maurice Emmanuel Marie François Maurice Emmanuel (2 May 1862 – 14 December 1938) was a French composer of European classical music, classical music and musicologist born in Bar-sur-Aube, a small town in the Champagne-Ardenne region of northeastern France. It wa ...

and then under

André Pirro André Gabriel Edmée Pirro (12 February 1869 – 11 November 1943) was a French musicologist and an organist. Born in Saint-Dizier, Pirro learned to play the organ from his father Jean Pirro. In Paris where he became and organist and a choirma ...

. His first published compositions date from 1923. From 1947 Rodrigo was a professor of music history, holding the Manuel de Falla Chair of Music in the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, at

Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loc ...

. Notable students include

Yüksel Koptagel Yüksel Koptagel (born 27 October 1931) is a Turkish composer and pianist. She was born in Istanbul, Turkey, granddaughter of General Osman Nuri Koptagel, a commander in the Turkish War of Independence. Her maternal great grandfather Abdul Kar ...

, Turkish composer and pianist. His most famous work, '' Concierto de Aranjuez'', was composed in 1939 in Paris for the guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza. In later life, he and his wife declared that it was written as a response to the miscarriage of their first child. It is a

concerto A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The typ ...

for guitar and orchestra. The central

adagio Adagio (Italian for 'slowly', ) may refer to: Music * Adagio, a tempo marking, indicating that music is to be played slowly, or a composition intended to be played in this manner * Adagio (band), a French progressive metal band Albums * ''Adag ...

movement is one of the most recognizable in 20th-century classical music, featuring the interplay of guitar with

cor anglais The cor anglais (, or original ; plural: ''cors anglais''), or English horn in North America, is a double-reed woodwind instrument in the oboe family. It is approximately one and a half times the length of an oboe, making it essentially an al ...

. This movement was later adapted by the jazz arranger Gil Evans for

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

' 1960 album "

Sketches of Spain ''Sketches of Spain'' is an album by Miles Davis, recorded between November 1959 and March 1960 at the Columbia 30th Street Studio in New York City. An extended version of the second movement of Joaquín Rodrigo's ''Concierto de Aranjuez'' (1939) ...

". The Concerto was adapted by the composer himself for the 1974 Harp and Orchestra Concerto at the request of

Nicanor Zabaleta Nicanor Zabaleta (January 7, 1907 – April 1, 1993) was a Spanish harpist. Zabaleta was born in San Sebastián, Spain, on January 7, 1907. In 1914 his father, an amateur musician, bought him a harp in an antique shop. He soon began taking ...

and dedicated to Zabaleta. The success of this concerto led to commissions from a number of prominent soloists, including Nicanor Zabaleta, for whom Rodrigo dedicated his '' Concierto serenata'' for Harp and Orchestra; Julian Lloyd Webber, for whom Rodrigo composed his '' Concierto como un divertimento'' for cello and orchestra; and

James Galway Sir James Galway (born 8 December 1939) is an Irish virtuoso flute player from Belfast, nicknamed "The Man with the Golden Flute". He established an international career as a solo flute player. In 2005, he received the Brit Award for Outsta ...

, for whom Rodrigo composed his ''Concierto pastoral'' for flute and orchestra. In 1954, Rodrigo composed ''

Fantasía para un gentilhombre ''Fantasía para un gentilhombre'' (''Fantasia for a Gentleman'') is a concerto for guitar and orchestra by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo. The concerto is Rodrigo's most popular work after the famous ''Concierto de Aranjuez''. The four m ...

'' at the request of

Andrés Segovia Andrés Segovia Torres, 1st Marquis of Salobreña (21 February 1893 – 2 June 1987) was a Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist. Many professional classical guitarists were students of Segovia or their students. Segovia's contribution to the m ...

. His ''Concierto Andaluz'', for four guitars and orchestra, was commissioned by Celedonio Romero for himself and his three sons. None of Rodrigo's works, however, achieved the popular and critical success of the ''Concierto de Aranjuez'' and the ''Fantasia para un gentilhombre''. These two works are very often paired in recordings. He was awarded Spain's highest award for composition, the Premio Nacional de Música, in 1983. On 30 December 1991, Rodrigo was raised into the Spanish nobility by King Juan Carlos I with the hereditary title of Marqués de los Jardines de Aranjuez (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

: Marquess of the Gardens of Aranjuez). He received the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award — Spain's highest civilian honor — in 1996. He was named Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

government in 1998. He married Victoria Kamhi, a Turkish-born pianist whom he had met in Paris, on 19 January 1933, in Valencia. Their daughter, Cecilia, was born on 27 January 1941. Rodrigo died in 1999 in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

at the age of 97, and his daughter succeeded him as Marquesa de los Jardines de Aranjuez. Joaquín Rodrigo and his wife Victoria are buried at the cemetery at

Aranjuez Aranjuez () is a city and municipality of Spain, part of the Community of Madrid. Located in the southern end of the region, the main urban nucleus lies on the left bank of Tagus, a bit upstream the discharge of the Jarama. , the municipality h ...

Works

Orchestral

*Orchestra **''Juglares'' (1923); first public performance: 1924, Valencia **''Cinco Piezas Infantiles'' (1928) **''Tres viejos aires de danza'' (1929; first performance on 20 January 1930 by the Orquesta Sinfónica de Valencia conducted by José Manuel Izquierdo) **''Dos miniaturas andaluzas'' (1929; first performance on 22 November 1999 at the ''Palau de la Música de Valencia'', Spain, by the '' Orquesta de Cámara Joaquín Rodrigo'') **''Zarabanda lejana y Villancico'' (1930; first performance on 9 March 1931 at the ''Ecole Normale de Musique'' in Paris, by the '' Orquesta Femenina de París'', conducted by Jane Evrard) **''Per la flor del Lliri Blau'', symphonic poem (1934; First Prize, ''Círculo de Bellas Artes'') **''Soleriana'' (first performance by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Hans von Benda, on 22 August 1953 in Berlin) **''Pavana Real'' (1955) **''Música para un jardín'' (1957) rchestration of his two piano Berceuses**''A la busca del más allá'' (1976; commissioned by the Houston Symphony for the

United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...

, Rodrigo was inspired by the thought of space exploration) **''Palillos y panderetas'' (1982) *''Rondalla'' **''Estudiantina'' (1962) *Symphonic Wind Ensemble **''Homenaje a la Tempranica'' (1939; first performance, 1939, in Paris by the ''Orquesta Femenina de París'', conducted by Jane Evrard) **''Homenaje a Sagunto'' (1955) **''Adagio Para Orquesta de Instrumentos de Viento'' (1966; first performance in June 1966 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by the

American Wind Symphony Orchestra The American Wind Symphony Orchestra (AWSO, also called the American Wind Symphony, or AWS) is an American musical ensemble incorporating many of the wind instruments found in a symphony orchestra. It is dedicated to the performance of contempora ...

, conducted by Robert Austin Boudreau) **''Pasodoble para Paco Alcalde'' (1975)

Concertante

*Cello **''Dos piezas caballerescas'' for four-piece cello orchestra (1945; first performance on 27 May 1945 in Madrid by cello ensemble students of

Juan Ruiz Casaux Juan Antonio Ruiz-Casaux y Lopez de Carvajal, V. marqués de Atalaya Bermeja, usually known as Juan Ruiz Casaux (23 December 188916 January 1972) was a noted Spanish cellist and teacher. Along with Pablo Casals and Gaspar Cassadó, he was a member ...

) – later transcribed for four guitars by Peter Jermer **''Concierto en modo galante'' (1949; first performance on 4 November 1949 in Madrid by Gaspar Cassadó, with the ''Orquesta Nacional de España'', conducted by Ataulfo Argenta) **'' Concierto como un divertimento'' (1981) *Flute **''Aria antigua'' (1960) **'' Concierto pastoral'' (1978) *Guitar **'' Concierto de Aranjuez'' (1939) **''

'' (1954) **'' Concierto madrigal'' for two guitars (1966; commissioned by Alexandre Lagoya and Ida Presti; first performance on 30 July 1967 at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA, by Angel Romero and Pepe Romero, with the Los Angeles Symphony conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos) **'' Concierto Andaluz'' for four guitars (1967) **'' Concierto para una fiesta'' (1982; first performance on 5 March 1983 at the Ridglea Country Club in Fort Worth, TX, by Pepe Romero, with the Texas Little Symphony conducted by John Giordano) **''Rincones de España'' (1990; first performance by Angel Romero on 7 March 1991 at New York's

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 milli ...

) *Harp **'' Concierto serenata'' (1954) **''Sones en la Giralda'' (1963; written as a wedding present for the harpist Marisa Robles) – later transcribed for guitar and orchestra by Pepe Romero *Piano **'' Concierto heroico'' (1943) (revised by the composer as ''Piano Concerto'' (1995) and first performed in 1999) *Violin **''Dos esbozos'' for violin and piano (1923; Rodrigo's "Opus 1") **''Cançoneta'' for violin and string orchestra (1923; first performance in 1923 in Valencia, Spain, by the ''Orquesta Sinfónica de Valencia'', conducted by José Manuel Izquierdo) **''Concierto de estío'' (1944; first performance on 16 April 1944 by Enrique Iniesta, at the ''Teatro San Carlos'' in Lisbon, Portugal, with the ''Orquesta Nacional de España'', conducted by Bartolomé Pérez Casas) **''Set Cançons Valencianes'' for violin and piano (1982)

Instrumental

*Bandoneón **''Motu perpetuo'' (1960) *Cello **''Como una fantasía'' (1979; first performance on 17 March 1981 by Carlos Prieto, in Mexico City) *Guitar **''Zarabanda lejana'' (1926; first performance by Joaquín Nin-Culmell, in Paris) **''Toccata para guitarra'' (1933; first performance on 1 June 2006 by

Marcin Dylla Marcin Dylla is a Polish classical guitarist who has won over fifteen international classical guitar competitions. He was born in Chorzów, Poland, and took lessons at the Ruda Śląska Music High School, attended the Academy of Music in Kato ...

, in Madrid) **''En Los Trigales'' (1938; first performance by Regino Sainz de la Maza; later published as part of ''Por los campos de España'') **''Tiento Antiguo'' (1942; first performance in 1942 by Regino Sainz de la Maza) **Three Spanish Pieces – ''Tres Piezas Españolas (Fandango, Passacaglia, Zapateado'') (1954; dedicated to

) **''Bajando de la meseta'' (1954; first performance by Nicolás Alfonso in Brussels; later published as part of ''Por los campos de España'') **''Entre olivares'' (1956; dedicated to Manuel López Ramos; later published as part of ''Por los campos de España'') **''En tierras de Jerez'' (1957; dedicated to Luise Walker) **''Tonadilla'' (1959; first performance by the guitar duo of Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya) **''Junto al Generalife'' (1959; first performance by Siegfried Behrend) **''Sonata Giocosa'' (1960; dedicated to

Renata Tarragó Renata Tarragó Fábregas (23 October 1927 – 2 August 2005), a Catalan guitarist and vihuelist, was a teacher and performer, both as a solo artist and an accompanist. She was the first female guitarist to record Joaquín Rodrigo's ''Concierto ...

) **''Invocación y danza'' (1961; first performance on 12 May 1962 by

Alirio Díaz __NOTOC__ Alirio Díaz (12 November 19235 July 2016) was a Venezuelan classical guitarist and composer, considered one of the most prominent composer-guitarists of South America and an eminent musician. He studied with Andrés Segovia, and gave ...

at the Château de la Brède near Bordeaux, France—First prize, ''Coupe International de Guitare,'' awarded by '' Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française'' RTF **'' Sonata a la Española'' (1963; dedicated to Ernesto Bitetti) **''Tres pequeñas piezas (Ya se van los pastores, Por caminos de Santiago, Pequeña Sevillana)'' (1963) **''Elogio de la guitarra'' (1971; written for the guitarist

Angelo Gilardino Angelo Gilardino (16 November 1941 – 14 January 2022) was an Italian composer, guitarist, and musicologist. Life and career Gilardino was born in Vercelli, Italy, on 16 November 1941. During his concert career, from 1958 to 1981, he premiere ...

, who gave the first performance) **''Pajaros de primavera'' (1972; commissioned by Dr. Isao Takahashi, a promoter of classical guitar in Japan, for his wife Take Takahashi; first performed in 1972 at the hospital bedside of Take Takahashi in Japan, "interpreted by a guitarist friend," as she was dying of cancer—

Christopher Parkening Christopher William Parkening (born December 14, 1947) is an American classical guitarist. He holds the Chair of Classical Guitar at Pepperdine University under the title Distinguished Professor of Music. Biography Parkening was born in Los Angel ...

gave the first public performance, also in Japan) **''Dos preludios'' (1976; first performance in 1989 by Celedonio Romero in Los Angeles, CA, and first recording by Wolfgang Lendle) **''Tríptico'' (1978; first performance in 1978 by Alexandre Lagoya at the Château de Rougerie in France) **''Un tiempo fue Itálica famosa'' (1981; first performance in 1989 by Randy Pile in San Diego, CA) **''Ecos de Sefarad'' (1987; first performance in 1989 by Sherri Rottersman at the Círculo Medina in

) **''¡Qué buen caminito!'' (1987; first performance in 1987 by María Esther Guzmán at the Conservatorio de Música de Sevilla) **''Aranjuez, ma pensée'' (1988) (arranged by the composer from his 'Concierto de Aranjuez') *Harp **''Impromptu (1959; first performance by Ana María Martini Gil) *Piano (solo), and harpsichord **''Suite pour piano'' (1923) **''Berceuse d'automne'' (1923) **''Preludio al Gallo mañanero'' (1926) **''Zarabanda lejana'' (1926) **''Pastorale'' (1926) **''Bagatela'' (1926) **''Berceuse de printemps'' (1928) **''Air de Ballet sur le nom d'une Jeune Fille'' (1930) **''Serenata Española'' (1931) **''Sonada de adiós ('Homenaje a Paul Dukas')'' (1935) **''Cuatro Piezas (Caleseras, Fandango del ventorrillo, Prayer of the Princess of Castile, Danza Valenciana)'' (1936–1938) **''Tres Danzas de España (Rústica, Danza de los tres doncellas, Serrana)'' (1941) **''A l'ombre de Torre Bermeja'' (1945) **''Cuatro Estampas Andaluzas'' (1946–1952) **''El Album de Cecilia (María de los Reyes, Jota de las Palomas, Canción del Hada rubia, Canción del Hada morena, El negrito Pepo, Borriquillos a Belén)'' (1948) **''Cinco Sonatas de Castilla, con Toccata a modo de Pregón'' (1950–1951) **''Aranjuez, ma pensée'' (1968) (arranged by the composer from his 'Concierto de Aranjuez') **''Danza de la Amapola'' (1972) **''Preludio y Ritornello'' (1979) (for HARPSICHORD) **''Tres Evocaciones (Tarde en el parque, Noche en el Guadalquivir, Triana)'' (1980–1981) **''Preludio de Añoranza'' (1987) *Piano (duet and two pianos) **''Juglares'' (1923) (PIANO DUET) (arranged by the composer from his first work for orchestra) **''Cinco Piezas Infantiles (Son chicos que pasan, Después de un cuento, Mazurka, Plegaria, Gritería)'' (1924) (TWO PIANOS) (arranged by the composer from his second work for orchestra) **''Gran Marcha de los Subsecretarios'' (1941) (PIANO DUET) **''Atardecer'' (1975) (PIANO DUET) **''Sonatina para dos Muñecas'' (1977) (PIANO DUET) *Violin **''Capriccio'' (1944; first performance on 8 January 1946 by Enrique Iniesta in Madrid)

Vocal/choral

*''Ave Maria'' for unaccompanied choir (1923) *''Ausencias de Dulcinea'' (1948); First prize, Cervantes Competition *''Cuatro Madrigales Amatorios'' (1948) *''De las doce canciones españolas (Textos populares adaptados por Victoria Kamhi)'' (1951) *''Villancicos y canciones de navidad'' (1952); ''Ateneo de Madrid'' Prize *''Música para un códice salamantino'' (1953), lyrics by

Miguel de Unamuno Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo (29 September 1864 – 31 December 1936) was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, professor of Greek and Classics, and later rector at the University of Salamanca. His major philosophical essa ...

*''Cuatro canciones sefardíes'' (1965) *''El Hijo Fingido'', Zarzuela *''Porque toco el pandero'' *''Cántico de San Francisco de Asís'' (1982) *''Tres canciones''Graham Wade, ''Joaquín Rodrigo: A Life in Music: Travelling to Aranjuez'', 2006, p. 156: " ... He has also completed for voice, Tres canciones, with classical texts".

Guitar and voice

*''Coplas del Pastor Enamorado'' (1935) *''Tres Canciones Españolas'' (1951) *''Tres Villancicos'' (1952) *''Romance de Durandarte'' (1955) *''Folías Canarias'' (1958) *''Aranjuez, ma pensée'' (1988)

References

Bibliography

*(archive available on 2015-12-24 at *

External links

Complete catalogue of Rodrigo's compositionsJoaquín Rodrigo websiteJoaquín Rodrigo website

Articles

(Pablo Zinger, August 1999, NY Times) * Century of Joaquin Rodrigo
SEATTLE LATINO FILM FESTIVAL COMES TO SEATTLE U

Recordings

''Rodrigo interpreta a Rodrigo''
()

Videos

''Grandes personajes, a fondo. Vol. 7''
Rodrigo: Pasos y huellas en la oscuridad
''The Rodrigo Collection''
– :DVD containing

documentary

''Concierto De Aranjuez: El Siglo De Joaquín Rodrigo''
(Diagonal TV!)

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodrigo, Joaquin 1901 births 1999 deaths People from Sagunto Spanish classical composers Spanish male classical composers École Normale de Musique de Paris alumni Composers from the Valencian Community Blind classical musicians Blind people from Spain Composers for the classical guitar 20th-century classical composers Marquesses of Spain Commandeurs of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 20th-century Spanish musicians 20th-century Spanish male musicians