Release Date: 01 November 2003
Label: Naxos / Naxos Classics
Packaging Type: Jewel Case
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 747313280124
Genres: Classical
Composer/Series: RODRIGO
Description
Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999)Concierto pastoral Fantasia para un gentilhombreDos miniaturas andaluzas Adagio para instrumentos devientoJoaquin Rodrigo was born on St Cecilia's Day, 22nd November,1901, in Sagunto, in the Spanish province of Valencia. In 1905 an outbreak ofdiphtheria impaired the young boy's vision and within a few years he lost everyvestige of sight. From the age of seven he attended the School for the Blind inthe city of Valencia, where, with his musical gifts becoming increasinglyapparent, he played the violin and piano, the latter being his favourite. Laterhe took composition lessons with Francisco Antich Carbonell, renowned organistand maestro at the local parish church. Having composed various apprenticepieces, Rodrigo was awarded an Honourable Commendation in 1925 in a nationalmusic competition for his orchestral work, Cinco piezas infantiles, firstperformed by the Valencia Symphony Orchestra two years later. In the autumn of 1927, the young composer, following theprecedent of so many Spanish musicians, travelled to Paris, enrolling at theEcole Normale de Musique. His teacher, Paul Dukas, one of the masters of earlytwentieth-century French music, profoundly influenced Rodrigo, especially inaspects of orchestration. In 1928, the French President awarded Manuel de Fallathe National Legion of Honour. Rodrigo was invited to perform his own pianopieces at the ceremony, thus extending his growing reputation as composer andvirtuoso pianist. Around the same time, Rodrigo met Victoria Kamhi, a youngJewish pianist from Istanbul, the daughter of a businessman. Despite variousdifficulties, financial and otherwise, they fell in love and eventually marriedin January 1933, but a year later hardship enforced months of separation, adilemma resolved only when Rodrigo was awarded a prestigious Conde de CartagenaScholarship, enabling him to be reunited with his wife in Paris. In 1936disaster struck again when the Spanish Civil War began and the Scholarship fundwas no longer available. Eventually Rodrigo and his wife found refuge foreighteen months at the Institute for the Blind in Freiburg. In 1938 he returnedto Spain for a brief stay at a summer school in Santander, but failing tosecure employment, was forced to return once more in Paris. In 1939 Victoriasuffered a miscarriage, yet somehow, despite such tribulations, Rodrigo foundthe strength and inspiration to complete the Concierto de Aranjuez, a workwhich would change his life. Rodrigo went back to Spain shortly before the start of theSecond World War. Life there was extremely difficult, but with the help ofcolleagues, including Falla, Rodrigo was soon offered sufficient employment toearn a reasonable living. After years of deprivation, the tide began to turnwith the premi?¿re in Barcelona of the Concierto de Aranjuez on 9th November,1940, followed by performances in other Spanish cities. On 27th January, 1941(the anniversary of Mozart's birthday), Rodrigo's daughter, Cecilia, was born. Tho
Tracklisting
Dariia Lytvishko
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Marin Alsop
Alice Di Piazza; Basel Sinfonietta; NDR Bigband; Titus Engel
Anna Alas i Jove; Miquel Villalba
David Childs; Black Dyke Band; Nicholas Childs
Yaqi Yang; Margarita Parsamyan; Robynne Redmon; Minghao Liu; Frank Ragsdale; Kim Josephson; Kevin S
Vilmos Csikos; Olivier Lechardeur; Manon Lamaison
Tomas Cotik; Martingale Ensemble; Ken Selden
