Concierto de Aranjuez for modern classical guitar and symphony orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre: stylistic and genre features

Abstract

Concierto de Aranjuez for classical guitar and symphony orchestra written by the Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre in 1939 is in the author’s spotlight. The traditional tripartite structure with the tempo correlation Allegro con spirito-Adagio-Allegro gentile fits perfectly into the genre canons of a classical concert: not coincidentally this concert is considered an eloquent example of Spanish Neoclassicism. The particular significance is the sound concept of the second movement based on the melodic legitimacy of saelta, a religious song appeared as an imitation of the psalmody of the canonical religious service. The texts of saelta reflect events and emotions of the Holy Week. Thanks to the fact that a genre of secular music involves the concepts and means of musical expression of a religious genre, adds to the second part an enormous depth and sensitivity, provoking a very strong emotional reaction of the listener. We mention in parentheses that Concierto de Aranjues is one of the most performed concerts for modern classical guitar in the world, while the second part is very often performed as an autonomous creation.