Blind
from childhood, Joaquín RODRIGO began his musical
studies in Spain, then went to Paris where he took lessons
at the Schola Cantorum. It was there that he composed Aranjuez's
Concerto, which, from 1939 made him famous. The challenge
was to write a concerto for guitar!The
second movement ( adagio of Aranjuez's concerto ) is simply
miraculous and one of the masterpieces of contemporary music.
The magnificent melody is infused with the warm and colourful
Spanish atmosphere and takes its inspiration from a small
musical ornament building slowly and developing into a final
climax of rare beauty.
Music is
enriched with a new jewel. Because
of this the Aranjuez's Concerto has become one of most widely
performed in the world as well as one of the most widely
recorded on CD (The classical version of the guitarist Narciso
YEPES with Garcìa NAVARRO and the Philharmonia Orchestra
is in all respects remarkable). The Aranjuez's Concerto
has
often been transcribed for instruments other than the guitar
:
ARANJUEZ's CONCERTO ARRANGEMENTS
Narciso Yepes
Aranjuez's Concerto
Pepe Romero
Rodrigo's Aranjuez's Concerto is still one of the most widely recorded discs (the classical version of guitarist Narciso YEPES with Garcìa NAVARRO and the Philharmonia Orchestra is remarkable in every way and remains our favorite. Very nice interpretation also, of Paco de Lucía, marked by delicacy and sensitivity). We must also listen to the beautiful interpretation of John WILLIAMS.
As the recordings of the Aranjuez concerto no longer count, we will cite only a few : Aranjuez's concerto by Sharon Isbin, New York Philharmonic, dir. José Serebrier; Concierto de Aranjuez Rodrigo by Pepe Romero, Academy of Saint Martin-in-the-Fields, dir. Neville Marriner; Concierto de Aranjuez Rodrigo Siegfried Behrend ; Concierto de Aranjuez from Rodrigo by Alexandre Lagoya ; Concierto de Aranjuez from Rodrigo by Charles Groves; Concerto by Aranjuez Rodrigo by Jean-Christian Michel Quartet with organ ; Aranjuez's concerto by Göran Söllscher, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
ARANJUEZ's CONCERTO ARRANGEMENTS
The "Concierto de Aranjuez" has lent itself to numerous transcriptions and arrangements for instruments other than the guitar, and for musical styles other than classical musc :
MILES DAVIS
Concierto de Aranjuez
"Sketches of Spain"
MODERN JAZZ QUARTET
Aranjuez's Concerto
Kenny Carke (Drums)
SWINGLE SINGERS
Sounds of Spain
Concierto de Aranjuez
Thus
was it performed by the famous Jazz trumpeter Miles
DAVIS, John Lewis's MODERN JAZZ QUARTET with Kenny Clarke, Natalie LURIE
and by the clarinetist and the great composer of sacred music,
Jean-Christian Michel. The famous clarinetist recorded
"ARANJUEZ" for the first time in 1968. His arrangement
of Aranjuez's Concerto achieved immense success with the
pressing of a one and a half million discs...
JEAN-CHRISTIAN MICHEL REVISITS ARANJUEZ'S CONCERTO
Jean-Christian
Michel
Composer & clarinetist
JEAN-CHRISTIAN MICHEL's ARRANGEMENT
Jean-Christian Michel, in the current version of Aranjuez's concerto, (CD "ARANJUEZ"), has created a magnifiscent new-age
inspired arrangement of RODRIGO's work : the sublime concerto
returns today revisited in a richer grander form.
Jean-Christian Michel performs the theme of the adagio of Aranjuez's concerto
on the clarinet - with enormous
sensitivity and feeling.
The magic, incantatory, clear,
an almost transparent sound, exorcises shadow in the vibration
of his breath.
After
the return of the impressive synthesized strings, comes
a long dialogue of "tension - resolution" between
guitar (Nicolas De ANGELIS) and organ (Monique THUS). This latter great artist completely masters
her art and seems to diffract the colours of a heavenly
watercolour in her organ voices ...
Nicolas De Angelis
Classical Guitar
@ranjuez Serenade
Jean-Christian Michel then resumes the theme of Aranjuez's concerto using
the warm and sensual tones of the clarinet's bass register,
bringing a delectable moment of peace and calm before the
storm.
Then,
after a last dialogue organ - guitar, the concert performer Nicolas
De ANGELIS expresses himself with great talent and fierceness
in a climactic guitar solo, accompanied by the rhythm of
bass and castanets, with so much talent and vehemence that
he pulls from his instrument the magnificences of a rainbow
!
The
closing theme of Aranjuez's concerto then explodes with
consummate artistry : violins and synthesizers sing with
passion and fervour, the clarinet launches powerfully into the high notes, reconciling opposite
and sheding its golden fluid while the rhythm section springs
into pulsating life. A
short coda on guitar chimes out the last few notes as a
silvery rain...
The
arrangement created by Jean-Christian Michel on the CD "ARANJUEZ"
is extremely original and beautiful : it respects the composer's
original music but lights it in modern colours and enhances,
through its modernity, the powerful contrasts of the work.
"Jean-Christian Michel's clarinet communicates to the work all its magic
and spiritual dimension..."
SOME JEAN-CHRISTIAN MICHEL ARANJUEZ DISCS
Sorry, The
CD of Aranjuez's concerto is no more avaible
Three unmissableCD by Jean-Christian Michel : Port Maria, Musique
de lumière (Music of Light ) and "@ranjuez" ( new arrangement
of Aranjuez's Concerto) "
A fantastic CD by Jean-Christian Michel and his musicians, with Monique THUS, organ. The multidimensional sounds of the organ and synthesizers take over space in a mystical atmosphere ...
Requiem
- Fugue en Sol Mineur - My Soul Longeth To Depart In
Peace - Unto The I Cry, O Lord Jesus - Choral N°
45 BWV 709 Seigneur, tourne toi vers nous - Missa Sine Nomine - Oratorio de Noel -
Miserere - Prélude en La Mineur "Anna" - Adagio et Fugue en Fa Majeur - Choral Spiritus alter .
