Rodrigo: Concierto madrigal for 2 guitar

Katona Twins

CCS 16698

Concierto de Aranjuez was performed in 1940 with such overwhelming success that Rodrigo was immediately hailed as the most acclaimed Spanish contemporary composer. Born in 1901 in Sagunto, Valencia, Joaquín Rodrigo lost his eyesight at the age of three as a result of diphtheria. He studied in Valencia initially and then was sent to Paris to enter the composition class of Paul Dukas. Rodrigo was deeply absorbed in the study of early Spanish art music, and the influences of Renaissance and Baroque composers can be felt in much of his music. With the encouragement of Dukas and Falla, he began to incorporate more of the distinctive features of Iberian folk music. The most identifiable feature of Rodrigo’s music is his particular treatment of non-harmonic dissonance. This typically takes the form of major and minor seconds in accompanying parts, supplying spicy counterpoint to the otherwise plainly diatonic melodies and harmonies. This CD consists of original repertoire for two guitars (Concierto Madrigal, Tonadilla) and works that were originally conceived for the piano. The strong Spanish character that is very distinctive in many of Rodrigo’s keyboard music is a result of guitar idioms being translated through the keyboard. By transcribing and thus re-translating such idioms back into guitar terms we have a curiously circular rebirth of the composer’s first intentions.(…)

CD x 1

Channel Classics

1.10.2001

723385166986

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