Joaquin Rodrigo

Improved Essays
Joaquin Rodrigo was one of the most significant Spanish composers of the 20th century and produced many pieces which varied from Concertos to quartets. He played a significant role in the development and exposure of Spanish music and was a master at composition even though he faced various hardships through life. The performance consisted of three pieces by Rodrigo and one piece by Luigi Boccherini which is a mix of both Classical and Spanish music.
The first thing you notice when you walk into St. Thomas Episcopal church are the arched ceilings and the pipe organ which towers over the pews. The church is organized to where all the pews are facing the western side of the church towards the main altar which is done to amplify the sound of a
…show more content…
It was composed while Rodrigo was in exile and was his first big concerto piece. The first movement Allegro con Spirito is very light and joyful and is mainly polyphonic with both the piano and guitar having equal levels of importance with each having solos. The second movement, Adagio, is more somber and has a much slower tempo which is largely because of the historical events which influenced Rodrigo. While he was in exile he had discovered that his pregnant wife was facing a complication. Either she or the baby could survive but both could not, which immensely troubled Rodrigo which really shows in this piece. The use of minor chords helps convey the feelings Rodrigo had at the time. In some parts, the guitar gives off a feeling of anger with quick strumming and changes along the scale. The final movement, Allegro Gentile, returns to the more elevated tones seen in the Allegro movement. Unlike the other movements though, the finale to this piece is very fast and ends on a high note. When all three movements of Conccierto de Aranjuez listened together, it forms a story consisting of a beginning, conflict, and finally a …show more content…
The piece showcases dance music from Southern Spain and is overall fun and upbeat. Tempo di Bolero is a playful and uses percussive elements of the guitar especially the technique in Flamenco known as Golpe. It begins fast and remains fast until the very end. Adagio is a much slower movement with repetition but midway through begins to pick up pace and moves from more dissonant sounds to more consonant sounds. After the middle section, it returns back to its more somber sounds but it becomes more conjunct with minor chords to still give it a melancholy sound. The movement ends with the guitars strumming very quickly to create a low drone sound while the piano slowly went down the scale until finally, the guitars end on a harmonious note. The final movement, Allegretto has a much faster tempo and uses more consonant notes. The tone of the movement is joyous similarly to most final movements of multi-movement pieces composed by Rodrigo. It’s conjunct with each instrument group having their own solos only to repeat each other to finish off the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    This piece begins with a tranquil woodwind choir with other instruments gradually joining in. The tempo is andante, as it is moderately slow, yet more of a simple pace. This work takes advantage of dynamics heavily, as it varies from pianissimo with a solo flute to a gorgeous and strong fortissimo dynamic of the whole ensemble. This piece also varies in texture quite a bit, as it alternates between monophonic soloist sections and grand homophonic sections of the whole band. Most of the melodic lines are smooth and legato, yet are disrupted by the pointed and staccato figures of the percussion section that underscore the longer lines of the wind instruments.…

    • 707 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is kept by the beat and flow of the instruments. This song contains many accents and syncopations. The most noticeable ones are made with Idinas’ vocals. The tempo of the song changes from adagio to allegretto. The melody of this song is set from the very beginning, and repeats itself throughout.…

    • 1690 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Actually, the song is a little sad and peaceful and has a medium tempo. The final song is from Son Jorocho Sotavento, and it was a mixture of Afro-Cuban music. In fact, Son Jorocho came from Veracruz. This song also had a ten line stanza with a fast tempo. At first, the music was slow then it got faster.…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The introduction of the song had strings and the main instrument was the celesta with the staccato. Then there was a short section where the strings and the woodwinds went back and forth between each other. The main theme of the instruments was the celesta, accompanied by string instruments. The meter of the song was 2/4 and the rhythm was off beat from the string instruments. The final work was Trepak, it is a very lively song and as the tempo accelerates the dynamic increases also.…

    • 1706 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    One second it would be andante and the next it would be vivace. This rapid change of tempo is was of the reasons the piece is so unnerving. The texture of the piece is thick. There were notes being thrown in all over the place. The thick texture plays a role in why the music was so unpredictable.…

    • 1416 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    It was created by Ernesto Lecuona who was born into a musical family in Cuba. The suite was mainly popular for its composition of Andalucia and Malaguena. He wrote the Andalucia composition in Spain. As an artist, he traveled worldwide and recorded for many years with his orchestra. Sinfonia 2, The tenth Muse is an opera by Elbio Barilari.…

    • 1243 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Diatonic Themes In Music

    • 1650 Words
    • 7 Pages

    General Overview This composition is in a 3/4 tempo, typical rhythm for a bolero (Andalusian ballet) , but with a slower tempo (moderato assai). Two melodies, the first is in C major and it is diatonic, the second is in C minor and it is more rich of syncopation and flattened notes, like Bb, Eb and Db. Those two themes, are played on a rhythmic pattern without variations from the beginning to the Finale, structured in two bars, initially played only by drums, and it is used as introduction for two bars every time one of the themes come in.…

    • 1650 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The dynamics of the number were moderately loud (mezzo-forte). The piece was played at a very fast (pesto) tempo, using a homophonic harmony. Once again the melody line was played by the pianist. Blaine Smith described this composition as “an endurance piece”. The group did well keeping up with the tempo and not leaving anyone behind.…

    • 1222 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Stylistic Analysis Gcse

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “Ahead” is probably the boldest piece and kicks in with a vamp in which lush piano voicings are thrown against a one-note guitar ostinato. Matos’ melodies are slightly reminiscent of Abercrombie’s “Spring Song” while the rhythmic pulse mutates to support the improvisations of Vazquez and the bandleader. Advancing with a laid-back beat and influenced by Western music, “Easy Going” is pampered by a pair of inspired improvisations, first from Vasquez, whose bluesy approach flourishes with a few outside escapades and soulful motifs, and then from the adventurous Matos, who boasts an inventive vocabulary while denoting a skilful handling of the guitar-effect unit. “Anthracite” burns initially with Crane’s exciting drumming before entering into a state of melancholic limbo.…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    His concert pieces have been played around the world by many musicians from amateur to professional performers. I was influenced to select this piece by one of my colleagues who I once heard perform the piece in her concert band. When the members of the band performed, life took form. I was so moved by the way each and every aspect of the piece co-existed. The piece itself is lyrical.…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The ritornello form is used for this piece. The episodes which fall between statements of the ritornello are performed by the concertino or one instrument solo. They are very virtuosic and sound like they could be improvised, even though they are written out. (1) This form creates contrasts in texture, dynamics, and sometimes melody. The entire ensemble is used together for certain sections of the piece, other parts change key and tempo and return back to the home key at the end.…

    • 779 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This piece was performed by the Orchestra. Moreover, it started of soft (piano) with the string family and percussion family as well. The piece was more relaxing, smooth and really good to hear. It does get louder as the piece goes on. This piece was short, however it was a beautiful tune to listen to.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After this movement, all the instruments began playing a strong fortissimo beat, which gradually increased the tension, leading up to a muted trumpet solo. The strings dominated the remainder of the movement, with a strong legato melody passed from the ’cellos to the violins, and, finally, to the basses. The third movement could be classified by the increasing significance of the drums, who moved the orchestra along in a clear duple meter. Their presence became less important after a ritardando, which brought back the light melody to the woodwinds.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the first listen, the expression of the singer, which seems acoustic in nature despite the background play bring out the message in the song. Based as a description of what used to mare the African American community, the song expresses the anguish especially in the tone of the song. The somber nature expressed in the lyrics of the song are in conjunction with the soft but squeaky musical instruments. The musical instruments in the first few seconds of the song are also catchy, with it taking twist from the opening tango melodies to the jazzy and blues musical arrangements.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Like the flow of wind, “Allegro maestros” has a “jumpy” rhythm, where the beat hops from a quiet to a more lively musicality.peaceful to a more cheerful rhythm. The second movement, “andante” is more slower-paced. In this manner, it is extremely calming. Therefore, it is very calming. The third movement is very fast-paced.…

    • 751 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays