Certainly there is no shortage of versions of the immortal Joaquín Rodrigo classic Concierto de Aranjuez, easily the most popular guitar concerto ever written. Guitarists love playing it. Orchestras and chamber groups all over the world have embraced it. I’ve lost count of how many recorded performances I’ve heard of it through the years, not to mention the numerous stand-alone versions of the justifiably famous and adored second movement Adagio played on any number of different instruments. This week’s Video […]]]>
For the last posting of our two-month Sunday salute to the Romero family, we have Angel Romero playing the lively, regal-sounding third movement of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez! Look for lots more on the Romeros in the Winter 2018 issue of Classical Guitar (out in November), including an excerpt from Walter Aaron Clark’s exceptional new biography, Los Romeros: Royal Family of the Spanish Guitar, plus a revealing interview with Clark about the book, and also a story on Pepe […]]]>
We continue with the Romero family playing Joaquín Rodrigo’s popular Concierto de Aranjuez, with Pepe Romero taking on the famous second movement, ‘Adagio.’ I never get tired of this piece; it always has new things to reveal! Next week: We wrap up the Concierto with the lively third movement, marked ‘Allegro gentile.’—Blair Jackson]]>
There was no way we were going to ignore the Romero family playing Joaquín Rodrigo’s immortal Concierto de Aranjuez! After all, the family had a long history with the composer, championing his works, even premiering some, and he was a friend of the family up until his passing in July 1999. Here is an impeccable rendering by Angel Romero of the first movement (Allegro con spirito) of Rodrigo’s masterwork. Next: the Adagio!]]>
Two weeks ago we posted a clip of Julian Bream and John Williams that many of you seemed to enjoy. Last Sunday it was Bream alone. So now it’s equal time for John Williams solo (OK, solo with orchestra)! It was Williams’ mid-1960s recording of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez that was my first real exposure to classical guitar (I bought the album in 1971, if I remember correctly), so I thought I’d honor his contribution to my guitar education by posting […]]]>
As November marks the 75th anniversary of the premiere of Joaquin Rodrigo’s immortal Concierto de Aranjuez, we thought it would be fun to end the month with a version by the cover subject of the new Winter 2015 issue of Classical Guitar, Pablo Villegas. In this video, Villegas performs the first movement, “Allegro con spirito,” with the Radio and Television Orchestra of Spain, conducted by Carlos Kalmar. It’s beautifully shot and recorded, and passionately played. And, no, we’re not going […]]]>
On its 75th anniversary, three master guitarists reflect on JoaquÍn Rodrigo’s popular masterpiece To get inside the Concierto de Aranjuez from the player’s perspective, I interviewed three guitarists who have added their unique interpretations to the canon of recorded versions: David Russell’s 1997 take (for Telarc) was cut with the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Erich Kunzel; Xuefei Yang’s 2010 rendering (for EMI Classics) had her fronting the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eiji Oue; and Miloš Karadaglic recorded it […]]]>
In this history of the classical guitar staple "Concierto de Aranjuez" we separate fact from fiction using composer Joaquín Rodrigo's own words.]]>