Preludes, dances, nocturnes and vibrant miniatures for guitar from the composer of the Concierto de Aranjuez. In the modern era, no single work embodies Spain in music more than the Concierto de Aranjuez, as Miles Davis effectively acknowledged by making his own version of it the centrepiece of his iconic Sketches of Spain album. However, Rodrigo wrote a good deal more for guitar than this ever-popular concerto. There are four more concertos, and over 20 solo works. The solo works span the entire breadth of his long career, from the Zarabanda lejana of 1926 to Dos pequen�as fantasias (Two Little Fantasies of 1987. Rodrigo always drew on history and heritage rather than rejecting them, and many of these pieces take their inspiration from the lute and vihuela compositions of the Spanish renaissance. There is often a self-consciously antique flavour to both the gestures and harmonies. Yet many other pieces belong unmistakably to their time - such as the gripping and virtuosic Toccata of 1933, which remained hidden among the papers of the guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza until 1997, when it was performed for the first time. Rodrigo's period of high maturity as a composer fell in the 50s and 60s, and from this period date the high points of his solo-guitar catalogue, such as the Tres piezas espa�olas, dedicated to Segovia, the haunting Junto al Generalife, the complex Triptico, and most of all the Invocacion y danza (homenaje a Manuel de Falla), which rapidly became a repertoire piece for guitarists after Rodrigo wrote it in 1961 for a composition competition organised by French radio. The Italian guitarist Giulio Tampalini has made several acclaimed albums for Brilliant Classics, such as a collection of the complete guitar music by Respighi and Mozzani. 'If you have ever had even the slightest inclination towards the guitar, you have to hear this this album. It is simply breathtaking. This is a guitar album for the ages, and I hope that Tampalini and Brilliant Classics will see fit to give us more.' (Fanfare, September 2017)

Classical Music

The Rodrigo concerto (double woodwind, 2 horns, 2 trumpets and strings) needs real virtuoso playing—it is one of those works which are harder than they sound—but is most skilfully written. The cheerful first movement, starting up with typical Iberian belatedness from apparently idle introductory strumming, may make the most immediate effect, but undoubtedly the finest part of the work is the introspective Adagio, which shows that in the right hands even such seemingly cliché-bound elements as melancholy cor anglais solos and quasi-flamenco fiorilure can still be moving. Williams's reading differs somewhat from Bream's (which I still think superb): he takes the first movement a thought slower and just misses Bream's élan, but gives the finale actually more bite: he plays the slow movement sensitively, less dramatically and more dreamily than Bream (and incidentally changes the notes of the final arpeggio). It is a throughly musical performance, a worthy rival to that by his distinguished fellow-countryman.

-- Gramophone [7/1966, reviewing Concierto de Aranjuez on LP]

*** This title is a reissue of a Spanish release with liner notes in Spanish. ***

SUITE PARA PIANO SERENATA ESP

an outstanding production for the interest of the music, and for the superb quality of both playing and recording. Manuel Ponce's concerto for Segovia has symphonic leanings... and southerly leanings, extending to authentic native tunes and sultry guitar rhythms. The combination is fascinating... Rodrigo's Fantasia benefits from the tone-colour of the guitar, enhanced further by this particularly good recording... Segovia ensures for posterity... his superlative playing (Gramophone)

(Guitar) "Yepes' cadenza is as clean and bright as a new pin, and his rapid repeated-note finish is fantastic." "I am coming to regard the Fantasia para un gentilhombre with it's gracious nobility and baroque feeling as a masterpiece to match the more famous Concierto de Aranjuez." (Harp): "Zabaleta plays most beautifully and the recording is immaculate." (Gramophone)

Classical Music

The relationship between composers and performers has been a key element in musical creation. This is the case of the Spanish composer Joaqu�n Rodrigo (Sagunto, Valencia, 1901 - Madrid, 1999), who was acquainted with many prominent guitarists of his time (e.g. Emilio Pujol, Andr�s Segovia, Narciso Yepes, Regino Sainz de la Maza, Pepe Romero, to name but a few). As a result of these interactions, one of the most internationally known solo guitar repertoires was created, thus making the guitar thoroughly accepted as a solo instrument with orchestra, with his C oncierto de Aranjuez (1939), Fantas�a para un gentilhombre (1954), and Concierto madrigal (1966) being some of the best known. These works for guitar and orchestra are the most well-known of his catalogue and Joaqu�n Rodrigo owes his fame to them. However, in this album, the protagonists are other works, which, despite being less well-known, are no less relevant and have equally exalted the Spanish guitar repertoire.

In May 2016, I went to the Royal Palace of Aranjuez right after I was awarded the best interpretation of Joaquin Rodrigo Concertos (Special Award to the best interpretation of Fantasia para Gentilhombre granted by the Victoria and Joaquin Rodrigo Foundation). I was walking along the palace when the most ecstatic part of Concierto de Aranjuez came to my mind. I tried following the footprints of Joaquin, feeling what he might have felt at his time, experiencing a combination of Spanish historical architectures and classical music, and dreaming about playing the famous concerto at this very place someday. Joaquin Rodrigo completed his greatest masterpiece “Concierto de Aranjuez” in 1939 in Madrid, which brought him great fame as one of the greatest representatives in Spanish music spectrum, along with I. Albeniz, E. Granados, M. Falla, J. Turina. And his works helped raise the classical guitar to a historic high recognition. The two concertos in the album mean quite differently to me. It was through performing Fantasia para un Gentilhombre that I further understood Joaquin Rodrigo, as a performer myself for the first time. (Xianji Liu, winner of the 50th Franciso Tárrega International Guitar Competition in Benicàssim)

Classical Music

Classical Music

In many ways it was Joaquín Rodrigo’s own work that eclipsed the vast majority of what he composed. The international success of Concierto de Aranjuez has meant that much of the rest of his work remains relatively unknown. With this in mind, it is interesting to note that Rodrigo is one of the twentieth century’s most prolific Spanish composers, with a huge opus of around 170 works awaiting rediscovery. He is, therefore, much more than just the composer of the Concierto de Aranjuez. This album is a step along the path to bringing the composer’s other music to the public’s attention. Rodrigo had very close ties with the European Neoclassicism of the nineteen thirties which sought inspiration in the classical musical tradition. In this sense, although folkloric elements are certainly present in his music, what differentiates the composer is his ability to focus his attention on the tradition of Spanish classical music. It is this which marks him out so significantly from the generations of earlier composers who tended to seek inspiration in popular music. The Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana (OCV), leading orchestra at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, comprises international musicians, personally selected by the founder music director, Lorin Maazel, who has been leading the orchestra from 2006 to 2011. Joan Lluna has performed as a conductor-soloist with orchestras as the Manchester Camerata, Luzerne Festival Strings, Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta de Valencia, ADDA simfònica, etc.

The "Five Orchestral Pieces" by Joaquin Rodrigo chosen for this recording range from 1924 to 1982, the last year in which Rodrigo wrote compositions for orchestra. "Cinco Piezas Infantiles" was the first of Rodrigo's orchestral scores to make an impact: "Reading the score makes one's hair stand on end!" (E. L. Chavarri) "These five children's pieces are made to please grown-up children who enjoy games of sounds and rhythms." (R. Brussel) "Per la flor del lliri blau" [For the flower of the blue lily] is a symphonic poem, based on a Valencian legend. Though the idiom of the piece is part of the European late-Romantic tradition, the voice is unmistakeably Rodrigo's own and demonstrates how easily Rodrigo integrates popular Spanish styles of music to great effect, as also seen in "Palillos y Panderetas" and "Homenaje a la Tempranica" - a homage to a famous zarzuela, the Spanish form of light operetta. During a visit in Texas, Rodrigo had made the acquaintance of some astronauts and had been allowed to touch some stones from the moon. He was thinking about this event when he wrote "A la búsca del mas alla" [In search of the 'beyond'] some years later. This piece begins and ends somehow lost in space - in the beyond.

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez & Fantasia para un gentilhomb