Joaquin Rodrigo
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Joaquín Rodrigo (22 November, 1901 – 6 July, 1999) was a Spanish composer, and virtuoso pianist, of classical music. He is best known for his Concierto de Aranjuez.
Rodrigo was born in Sagunto and was blind from the age of three as a result of a bout of diphtheria. He studied music under Francisco Antich in Valencia and under Paul Dukas in Paris. After briefly returning to Spain, he went to Paris again to study musicology, first under Maurice Emmanuel and then André Pirro.
The work "Cinco Piezas Infantiles" won Rodrigo Spain's National Prize for Orchestra in 1925. In Valencia he married Victoria Kamhi, a Turkish pianist, on 19 January 1933.
Rodrigo's most famous work was the Concierto de Aranjuez (1939 - Paris), a concerto for solo classical guitar and orchestra. The central adagio movement is one of the most recognizable in 20th century classical music, featuring the interplay of guitar with English horn.
The success of this piece led to commissions from a number of prominent soloists, including the flautist James Galway and the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. His Concierto Andaluz, for four guitars and orchestra, was commissioned by Celedonio Romero for himself and his three sons.
His daughter Cecilia is born 27 January 1941. Since 1947 he had been a professor of music history, 'Manuel de Falla' Chair of Music at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, at Complutense University of Madrid.
In 1991, Rodrigo was raised to the nobility by King Juan Carlos, given the title "Marqués de los jardines de Aranjuez". Winner of the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award in 1996 (Spain's equivalent to the Noble Prize). Named "Commendateur" of the L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1998 (Commander - Order of Arts & Letters).
He died in 1999 in Madrid. Joaquín Rodrigo and his wife Victoria are buried at the cemetery at Aranjuez.
Compositions
(for)
- Cello and orchestra:
- Concierto en modo galante (1949)
- Concierto como un divertimento (1978-1981)
- Flute and orchestra:
- Concierto pastoral (1978)
- Guitar:
- Invocación y Danza (1961 - 1st prize ORTF 'Coupe de la Guitare')
- Guitar and orchestra:
- Concierto de Aranjuez (1939)
- Concierto Andaluz (1967 - 4-guitars)
- Concierto para una fiesta (1982)
- Fantasia para un gentilhombre (1954)
- Concierto Heroico (1942 - National Music Prize)
- Concierto Madrigal (1968 - 2-quitars)
- Harp and orchestra:
- Concierto serenata (1954)
- Piano and orchestra:
- Juglares (1923 - 2-pianos; 1st public work, 1924 Orquesta Sinfónica de Valencia)
- Concierto heroico (1943)
- Violin and orchestra:
- Concierto de estío (1944)
- Songs and coral work:
- Per la Flor del Lliri Blau (1934 - symphonic poem - 1st prize Círculo de Bellas Artes)
- Ausencias de Dulcinea (1948 - 1st prize Cervantes Competition)
- Tres viejos aires de danza (1994)
- Villancicos y Canciones de Navidad (1952 - Ateneo de Madrid Prize)
External links
- Joaquin Rodrigo website (ENGLISH) (http://www.joaquin-rodrigo.com/indexen.html)
- Joaquin Rodrigo website (SPANISH) (http://www.joaquin-rodrigo.com/index2.html)
- Robert Peter Antecki's Rodrigo site (http://home.att.net/~symphonyno.1/)de:Joaquín Rodrigo
es:Joaquín Rodrigo ja:ホアキン・ロドリーゴ fi:Joaquín Rodrigo he:חואקין רודריגו