Joaquin Rodrigo (1901 - 1999)

Started by Mirror Image, July 11, 2010, 05:18:30 PM

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Mirror Image

Quote from: snyprrr on February 20, 2012, 08:22:33 PM
bump

I forgot I started this thread! Thanks for bumping it! Anything you would like to add to the discussion?

snyprrr

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 20, 2012, 08:40:08 PM
I forgot I started this thread! Thanks for bumping it! Anything you would like to add to the discussion?

I was hoping to generate proxy interest in the new Brouwer Thread. :-[ ;D Not working!! ::)

canninator

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 13, 2011, 06:52:01 AM
As I stated in my earlier comments, Rodrigos concerti for violin, cello, and piano are the only compositions of his that I thoroughly enjoy. He composed some beautiful music, but you can't have beauty, in my opinion, without tension from dissonance. Rodrigo avoided dissonance most of his career and, for me, that made his music just sound like a wash, instead of something to listen to that has a compelling story to follow.

Hmm, I'm not sure that is entirely fair given that Rodrigo's signature style is wrong note harmonies. Admittedly they don't feature much in Aranjuez and Gentilhombre as these are both a homage to Classical styles. He does use wrong note harmonies to great effect (csharp against d) in Theme 1 of Españoleta y fanfarria de la caballería de Nápoles of Gentihombre. His other guitar music is rife with this piquant dissonance, check out Tonadillo for two guitars, it's jam packed with the dissonance you crave  ;)

Szykneij

I just got back from seeing Grisha Goryachev perform Concierto de Arajuez live. A super piece to hear in person and an outstanding performance by Goryachev!
Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it.  ~ Henry David Thoreau

Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. ~ Satchel Paige

Karl Henning

Cool, Tony! I've heard the piece live, as well; agreed that (not surprisingly) its charms are richer still in person.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

kyjo

Time to revive this thread. What do you guys think of Rodrigo's Concierto Heroico? Much as I love Rodrigo's other concertos, the Concierto Heroico is my favorite work of his. It has the same feel as the Khachaturian, Bloch and Bliss PCs-sweeping, majestic, agitated and very symphonic in scope. The slow movement is chock full of Rodrigo's customary melancholy tenderness. It almost made it into my top 11 PCs of the 20th century, but it was edged out by de Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain in the end.

SymphonicAddict

#67


Just stumbled upon a lovely work of this composer from the disc above: Zarabanda lejana y Villancico. Rodrigo is often known by his achingly gorgeous slow movements, and whilst the aforementioned work is not one as such, it has the nobility and naivety of them. This is endearing music and memorable stuff.

I wish Rodrigo had composed a symphony. It's something I always regret of many composers.

Brahmsian

First listen yesterday to this wonderful disc (performance and the two concerto themselves).  Thoroughly enjoyed!  :) Apologies for straying away from the theme of general composer bashing here.  ::)


Roy Bland


atardecer

#70
Quote from: greg on July 15, 2010, 06:13:24 PMHas anyone listened to this disc?


It's quite Ravel-ish, and a very fine disc. I recommend it.

Yes, it is Ravel-ish, and I love it, that is one of my favorite recordings. Many of Rodrigo's works have a mysterious certain something that just hits me in the right spot, they speak to my soul.

Someone upthread stated his music isn't dissonant enough. I think some people mistake dissonance with aggression and dynamics (for example they might feel Bartók is dissonant but not Ravel) Rodrigo's music is highly dissonant, and sometimes polytonal.

Edit - I don't mean to imply Bartók is not dissonant, he is too and a harmonic genius.
"In this metallic age of barbarians, only a relentless cultivation of our ability to dream, to analyze and to captivate can prevent our personality from degenerating into nothing or else into a personality like all the rest." - Fernando Pessoa