Guitar Concierto de Aranjuez

I believe the body and the soul are connected; what I hear with my senses can affect and nourish my soul. An example of this is Rodrigo’s Guitar Concierto de Aranjuez.

Joaquin Rodrigo was born in the year of 1901. He was an exceptional pianist and composed many pieces over his lifetime. But, Concierto de Aranjuez is the piece he is most well known for. Joaquin Rodrigo wrote this piece in 1939, as the Spanish Civil War was ending and the Second World War was starting. At this time, Joaquin was excited at the news of his first child. On the night when the baby was due, tragedy struck and his wife miscarried. Stricken with grief, Rodrigo sat at his piano and composed this piece in one night. Now, here is the twist. Joaquin Rodrigo was blind when he wrote the piece. In fact, he had been blind since the age of three. Not only that, he wrote this piece for guitar despite the fact that he was a master at piano, but nowhere near as good with the guitar. So, this went onto become one of the most popular pieces of twentieth century classical music.

It is interesting that a piece of music, with baroque influence and flamenco rhythm, can appeal to such a widespread audience. Its influence is so varied. A few examples are :

Music

• Miles Davies, one of the greatest 20^th century jazz musicians, was in awe of this piece and transposed it to jazz trumpet and used it in his popular album, Sketches of Spain.
• Amici Forever, the Opera Band – a cover song in their album defined.
• Chick Corea re-interprets the second movement in his live jazz performances.

TV

• Fawlty Towers, the memorable comedy with Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) and Manuel (Andrew Sachs) from Barcelona. It is heard in the background the during the episode “Basil the Rat” in Fawlty Towers.
• Nip/Tuck – 2^nd season finale

Movies

• Jesus Film (with well…..)
• Brassed Off (with Ewan McGregor)
• School of Rock (with Jack Black)

Sport

• Michelle Kwan won her fifth World Championship skating to this piece

Religion

• According to wikipedia, Some Jewish cantors, specifically of Sephardic tendency, have adopted the main melody from the Adagio for the Kaddish, one of the most important parts of the Jewish liturgy. This can be seen especially in Sephardic congregations of Latin America (Mexico and Argentina), as well as in Israel. The phrasing of the Kaddish verses corresponds almost perfectly to the phrasing of the Adagio, resulting in a surprising religious effect and tone color.
  

Personally, in my humble opinion, the Concierto de Aranjuez is about hope in a confused world. This piece of music begins with the gentle strum of a Spanish guitar. (All pieces of music should begin with the gentle strum of a Spanish guitar.) The adagio movement shifts in mood from intense and melancholic to wondrous joy. This is how life is. A tireless journey with valleys of struggles and mountain peaks of victories. I will never forget the death of my grandfather or saying goodbye to my previous life as I moved from country to country. Yet, I will always rejoice as I remember my first kiss, sitting around the table with my family eating homemade pasta or watching as Australia qualified for the World Cup of soccer (for the first time in hundreds of years – well, it felt that way at least). This is life and this is captured in this piece. This world is being shackled by stereotypes, labels, and catch phrases like Global Financial Crisis, climate change and political correctness. And yet there is hope. As the adagio draws to an end, the orchestra builds up and finally the solo guitarist takes over and breaks through and swells joy crescendo.

“The whole second movement was his way of conversing with God,” Pepe Romero said, referring to Joaquin Rodrigo. (http://www.audaud.com/article.php?ArticleID=1101, 2009) Rodrigo expressed all the raw emotions of loss, despair, hope and freedom. I believe the Concierto de Aranjuez captures the character of God. Not a God of fury and anger but a God of creativity and beauty who offers hope to those who will listen. In one of the Psalms of the Bible, it says “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want….Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Joaquin Rodrigo understood that God was not only with him in the highest mountain; but also in the darkest valley

This first clip of John Williams, one of the greatest classical guitarists, playing the second movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Berlin Philharmonic, Live at Waldbuhne, Berlin, Germany June 21, 1998.

 

This second clip of Paco de Lucia, the master flamenco guitarists, interpreting the second movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez.