The most famous piece of music ever written for the guitar was composed by a man who could not play it and could not see. Joaquín Rodrigo (1901–1999) wrote the Concierto de Aranjuez, the guitar concerto that, more than any other work, carried the instrument to a vast worldwide audience — and he did so as a pianist, blind from early childhood.
A life in the dark, full of colour
Rodrigo lost his sight at the age of three after an illness, and learned music in Braille. He studied composition in Paris with Paul Dukas — the same teacher who had taught Manuel Ponce — and became one of the central figures of twentieth-century Spanish music. Though he was a pianist, not a guitarist, his feeling for the Spanish idiom made him one of the instrument's greatest benefactors.
The Concierto de Aranjuez
Premiered in 1940 and written for the guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza, the Concierto de Aranjuez is a concerto for guitar and orchestra in three movements. Its slow movement — the famous Adagio, with its long, grieving cor anglais melody answered by the guitar — is one of the most recognised pieces of music in the world, adapted by jazz musicians (Miles Davis among them) and beloved far outside the classical audience. Rodrigo said the work evoked the gardens and fountains of the royal palace at Aranjuez; his wife later linked the Adagio's sorrow to a personal loss. Whatever its source, it remains overwhelming.
Beyond Aranjuez
Rodrigo wrote more for the guitar, including the Fantasía para un gentilhombre (1954), composed for Andrés Segovia on themes by the baroque guitarist Gaspar Sanz, and solo pieces such as the Tres Piezas Españolas and Invocación y Danza. Together they make him, after the Aranjuez, one of the richest sources of twentieth-century concert repertoire for the instrument.
Why he matters to guitarists
The Concierto de Aranjuez did something no solo piece could: it put the guitar in front of a full symphony orchestra, as an equal soloist, before the widest possible public. For many listeners it is the first classical guitar music they ever loved. For guitarists it is a summit and a calling card — proof that the instrument belongs on the largest stages.
A note on the sheet music
Rodrigo died in 1999, so his music is firmly under copyright and is not in the public domain. Scores should be obtained from his authorised publisher (Ediciones Joaquín Rodrigo / Schott) rather than from free sites.
FAQ
Did Joaquín Rodrigo play the guitar?
No — he was a pianist, blind from the age of three, yet he wrote the most famous of all guitar concertos.
What is the Concierto de Aranjuez?
His concerto for guitar and orchestra (1940), whose Adagio is one of the most recognised melodies in the world.
Is his music free to download?
No — Rodrigo is under copyright; his works should be bought from authorised publishers.
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