Concierto de Aranjuez/Harp Serenade

Title: Rodrigo: Concierto De Aranjuez / Concerto-serenade For Harp / Castelnuovo-tedesco: Guitar Concerto

Artist: Siegfried Behrend, Guitar; Nicanor Zabaleta, Harp; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor Reinhard Peters

Format: Audio CD, No. Discs: 1

Label: Deutsche Gramophon Eloqunce, Cat No: 457306-2, Year: 1999

JOAQUIN RODRIGO (1902)

Concierto de Aranjuez
[1] I Allegro con spirito 5'25
[2] II Adagio 9'35
[3] III Allegro gentile 4'46

Concerto-Serenade for harp and orchestra
[4] I Estudiantina: Allegro S'l 1
[5] II Intermezzo: Molto tranquillo 8'07
[6] III Sarao: Allegro deciso 6'27

MARIO CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO (1895-1968)

Guitar concerto in D, Op.99
[7] I Allegretto 5'37
[8] II Andantino alia romanza 7'16
[9] III Ritmico e cavalleresco - Quasi andante - Tempo I 5'55

The interest of 20th-century Spanish composers in the guitar is principally due to the pioneering work and popularity of Andres Segovia. He, more than anyone else, instigated the creation of a whole new repertoire for the instrument. Joaquin Rodrigo is one of the most prolific composers in this regard. And he may also claim with pride to have composed the most famous guitar concerto of the century, the Concierto de Aranjuez. Everyone is at least familiar with the haunting adagio movement in the middle of this work which was first started in Paris but completed in Madrid. It remains one of the most inspired pieces by this blind composer. Rodrigo himself explained that he wanted to "recall the sudden rustling of wind-blown tree tops in parks". But Spain as a whole is evoked throughout this unique work — as much the Alhambra's mysteries as its sun-parched lands.