Europe of Cultures - Joaquin Rodrigo

Context

Born in 1901 near Valencia, Joaquin Rodrigo studied violin and piano in Spain, then from 1927 he continued in Paris under Paul Dukas. There he met Maurice Ravel and Manuel de Falla and it was in Paris that he composed theConcerto d'Aranjuez, for guitar and orchestra. This work was created in 1940 in Barcelona and Joaquin Rodrigo immediately shot to fame. He was made professor at the University of Madrid and he directed a musical department of the National Spanish radio.

While never managing to find the same extraordinary global success ofConcerto d'Aranjuez, he didn't stop composing concertos for different instruments, chamber music and vocal music. In this production, the public has also kept hisFantasy for a Gentlemanfor guitar and orchestra, and a Zarzuela (a Spanish operetta):El Hijo Fingido. His music, completely neoclassic, is largely influenced by Spanish folklore. With plenty of awards to his name, Rodrigo died in 1999 in Madrid.

Michel Coupard

Transcription

Lucienne Bernadac

I have the pleasure of presenting you, right now, with one of the greatest composers that Spain can boast about, the one whose name has been in the music news for the last few years: Joaquin Rodrigo. "Music for You" has invited Joaquin Rodrigo tonight to pay him a double tribute: a tribute to the composer, and also and especially, a tribute to the man who, blind since the age of three, has courageously struggled to earn a spot, a very large spot in the career that he selected. Joaquin Rodrigo, I know that you speak very good French, you've stayed in Paris for a long time, and I also want to ask you some details about your career. You were born in the Valence province?

Joaquin Rodrigo

Yes, in Sagunto, a very old city. I came to Paris in 1937 to work at the Normal School of music with Paul Dukas.

Lucienne Bernadac

Were you one of Paul Dukas's favourite students?

Joaquin Rodrigo

Yes, that's true. And, also, to follow the Spanish tradition, d'Albéniz, de Falla and de Turina came to Paris to work.

Lucienne Bernadac

Did you know Manuel de Falla?

Joaquin Rodrigo

In Paris, certainly.

Lucienne Bernadac

And then? Besides, we must specify that at this time, already, your first compositions received a successful reception in Paris.

Joaquin Rodrigo

Yes, it was Ricardo Vines's work, a great Spanish pianist who was very Parisian and who gave me several works, especially the Prélude au Coq Matinal which I will play tonight.

Lucienne Bernadac

I believe that this Prélude au Coq Matinal has played a crucial role in your life?

Joaquin Rodrigo

Decisive. Believe it or not, thanks to that, I found my wife.

Lucienne Bernadac

You met your wife?

Joaquin Rodrigo

Yes, and it was in Paris. She read about this prelude in a musical review. She was moved by what was written so she looked for the composer all over Paris and she finally tracked me down.

Lucienne Bernadac

She found you so well that she kept you.

Joaquin Rodrigo

She was an excellent pianist from [inaudible] who had, most likely, a decisive influence on my career and training.

Lucienne Bernadac

You then went back to Spain.

Joaquin Rodrigo

We left for Spain. We got married there. I won a scholarship. We went back to Paris and this time it was to work on the history of music with Maurice Emmanuel.

Lucienne Bernadac

And war definitely established you in Madrid.

Joaquin Rodrigo

Based in Madrid.

Lucienne Bernadac

I think that it was the following year, in 1940, that your name became international thanks to your first big work, a Concerto for guitars and orchestra, the Aranjuez concerto.

Joaquin Rodrigo

Aranjuez.

Lucienne Bernadac

And it must be said that it was audacious on your behalf, incredibly audacious to debut when your name wasn't yet very known for guitar works.

Joaquin Rodrigo

I wrote it in Paris, this concerto. I performed it, as you said, in 1940. Everyone said it would be a failure, that it wouldn't sound right. And there you go, it was a success.

Lucienne Bernadac

A triumph.

Joaquin Rodrigo

It went around the world.

Lucienne Bernadac

And this concerto was followed by many other works that also encountered success.

Joaquin Rodrigo

Yes, I wrote several concertos for piano, for violin, for cello, even for harp. And finally, things for guitar as well, important, a fantasy, a duo. And several orchestra melodies, etc...

Lucienne Bernadac

A very important work. We can even say that you're a fulfilled composer. You received, from your country, great awards.

Joaquin Rodrigo

Well, I can't complain. I won several prizes, notably the national prize, the Cervantès prize, etc... And finally, I was given the Great cross of Alfonso X the wise. And finally, it was the peak for me, the French government awarded me... I'm a Knight of the Arts and Letters.

Lucienne Bernadac

And you also hold a chair at the university of Madrid.

Joaquin Rodrigo

I teach music history at the Philosophy Faculty. So I can exercise my influence on young people, which interests me greatly.

Lucienne Bernadac

You exercise it greatly. You are at the same time a highly regarded composer, a good pianist, a lecturer, a writer, a musical critic and you've also travelled the world, been in America several times.