Composer. His "Concierto de Aranjuez" (1940) is the best-loved guitar concerto in the classical repertoire. Its central adagio movement, with its interplay between guitar and English horn and spectacular solo cadenza, is one of the most recognizable moments in 20th Century music. Rodrigo was born in Sagunto, Spain. At age three a bout of diptheria left him completely blind, but this did not hamper the development of his musical gifts. He studied under Francisco Antich in Valencia and Paul Dukas in Paris, and became a virtuoso pianist. He married Turkish pianist Victoria Kamhi in 1933. The couple later said that Rodrigo composed the "Concierto de Aranjuez", in particular the slow movement, in response to the miscarriage of their first child. After that work brought him international fame, Rodrigo received several important commissions and in 1947 became professor of music history at the Complutense University of Madrid. His other compositions include the "Concierto Heroico" (1943) for piano and orchestra, "Concierto de Estio" (1944) for violin, "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" (1954) for guitar, "Concierto Andaluz" (1967) for four guitars, and the "Concierto Pastoral" (1978) for flute. In 1991 Rodrigo was raised to the nobility by King Juan Carlos and given the title "Marques de la jardines le Aranjuez."
Composer. His "Concierto de Aranjuez" (1940) is the best-loved guitar concerto in the classical repertoire. Its central adagio movement, with its interplay between guitar and English horn and spectacular solo cadenza, is one of the most recognizable moments in 20th Century music. Rodrigo was born in Sagunto, Spain. At age three a bout of diptheria left him completely blind, but this did not hamper the development of his musical gifts. He studied under Francisco Antich in Valencia and Paul Dukas in Paris, and became a virtuoso pianist. He married Turkish pianist Victoria Kamhi in 1933. The couple later said that Rodrigo composed the "Concierto de Aranjuez", in particular the slow movement, in response to the miscarriage of their first child. After that work brought him international fame, Rodrigo received several important commissions and in 1947 became professor of music history at the Complutense University of Madrid. His other compositions include the "Concierto Heroico" (1943) for piano and orchestra, "Concierto de Estio" (1944) for violin, "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" (1954) for guitar, "Concierto Andaluz" (1967) for four guitars, and the "Concierto Pastoral" (1978) for flute. In 1991 Rodrigo was raised to the nobility by King Juan Carlos and given the title "Marques de la jardines le Aranjuez."
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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