Rodrigo Gentleman Fantasy

Author: Rodrigo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Joaquin Rodrigo, a blind composer who lost his sight at the age of three, is a special leader figure of in the 20th-century music history and one of the most important composers in Spanish music. Due to the success of Concierto Aranjuez, Rodrigo rose to become one of the brightest stars in Spanish music after Albéniz (I. Albeniz), Granados (E. Granados), Falla (M. Falla), and Turina (J. Turina). Rodrigo was born on November 22, 1901, in Sagunto, a small town in Valencia, Spain. He lost his sight at the age of three due to a high fever. However, perhaps it was fate's cruel joke or a compensation from heaven for losing his soul's window, Rodrigo showed extraordinary musical talent in his childhood. During his youth, Rodrigo's innate musical talent was quickly recognized by the Spanish music world under the encouragement and mentorship of the renowned composer E. Lopez in Valencia. Starting in 1920, Rodrigo traveled to various places in Europe for three years, widely collecting folk songs and traditions as material for his musical compositions. In 1924, he published his first symphonic piece, The Enchanters, and the following year, he received an award from the Spanish government for publishing Five Orchestral Pieces. From 1927 to 1932, Rodrigo studied composition under the famous composer Paul Dukas in Paris, while also studying music history and aesthetics with Maurice Emmanuel and Andre Pirro. At the same time, he received support and encouragement from Falla from all sides, which further strengthened his sense of mission to dedicate himself to the creation of music for his homeland. In 1933, Rodrigo married Victoria Kamhi, a Turkish pianist and a direct disciple of Liszt. She had also studied with the renowned pianist Gera Hegyey and was an excellent pianist. She had studied in Austria and Paris, but after marrying Rodrigo, sheed her own career and devoted herself entirely to assisting her husband, who was visually impaired. The following year, after returning to Spain and receiving a scholarship from the Spanish government (Contede Cartagena), Rodrigo returned to Paris to continue his studies. Over the next three years, Rodrigo traveled to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries. In 1936, after the Spanish Civil War broke out, Rodrigo, for the sake of his country, returned to Spain to serve as a professor of history and music at the University of Madrid, while also serving as a conductor of the orchestra and being appointed as a music advisor for the national radio station.