Joaquín Rodrigo
Biography
Joaquín Rodrigo (22 November 1901,Valencia, Spain - 6 July 1999, Madrid) was a Spanish composer.
Rodrigo lost his sight at an early age after contracting diphtheria. Despite his handicap, Rodrigo studied music with Francisco Antich in Valencia and with Paul Dukas in Paris. In 1925 he received the Spanish National Prize for Orchestra for his work Cinco piezas infantiles (Five Pieces for Children). Beginning in 1947 Rodrigo was a professor of music history at the University of Madrid, holding the Manuel de Falla Chair of Music.
In 1939 he composed the famous Concierto de Aranjuez, a concerto for solo classical guitar and orchestra. The tremendous success of the concerto catapulted Rodrigo to international fame, and led to commissions from many notable artists, including James Galway, Andres Segovia, and Julian Lloyd-Webber.
In 1991 he was made nobility by King Juan Carlos, who gave him the title Marqués de los Jardines de Aranjuez (Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez), and in 1996 he received Spain's highest civilian honor, the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award.
Works for Winds
- Adagio para Orquesta de Instrumentos de Viento (arr. Grey) (1966/2022)
- Adagio para Orquesta de Instrumentos de Viento (1966)
- Concierto de Aranjuez (arr. Mavropoulos) (1939)
- Concerto de Aranjuez (arr. Evans) (1939)
- Homenaje a La Tempranica
- Homenaje a Sagunto (arr. Ribelles) (1968)
- Pasodoble para Paco Alcalde
- Per la flor del lliri blau (1934/2002)
Resources