Rodrigo: Danzas (3) de España (Three Spanish Dances)

The guitar legend Pepe Romero is back with his first solo album for Deutsche Grammophon.

With “Spanish Nights” he presents a highly personal musical recreation of the Spain he knew in his youth: often dark, introspective and melancholy but also powerful and affirmative. The artist recalls: “Dreams of freedom and peace were expressed through the arts. Among my family’s close circle were great musicians, poets, painters and composers. When we moved to the US, we continued living in an idealized Spain.”

Celebrated worldwide for his interpretations and technique, guitarist Pepe Romero is in constant demand for solo recitals and appearances with orchestra.

The album features a world premiere recording, Suite Madrileña No.1, written by Celedonion Romero, Pepe’s father and founder of “Los Romeros”. 2013 marks Celedonio’s centenary, who was born on 2 March.

His Philips recording of RODRIGO: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un Gentilhombre has sold over 300,000 units worldwide.

The start of a prestigious edition on Brilliant Classics, the complete works of Joaquin Rodrigo.

The great Spanish composer is widely known for his alltime evergreen Concierto de Aranjuez, for guitar and orchestra, the adagio of which made it, in various guises, into many record charts.

Rodrigo’s output is substantial and ranges from solo works for both piano and guitar, through chamber music to larger-scale orchestral music. His music is lively, colourful and has great athmosphere, drenched in mediterranian sunshine.

Volume 1 offers the complete piano music, composed in the best tradition of - Granados and Albeniz, with a distinctive voice of its own.

CD 3 offers bonus tracks with works played by the composer himself.

Licensed from the Rodrigo Estate.

Includes liner notes written by Rodrigo’s daughter.

Additional notes and sung texts available online.

A welcome addition to the everexpanding Brilliant Classics’ Edition catalogue.

On this, the largest set ever compiled of one of the last century's most popular composers, we may not only renew our familiarity with the Concierto de Aranjuez, or perhaps with one of the other evermelodious guitar concertos that sustain his reputation with audiences, but also discover chamber, instrumental, choral and especially vocal works which testify to a creative imagination confident in the formation of its style but never satisfied with repetition, one which responded directly to poetic and lyric inspiration, and transformed its ideas with unfailing skill and respect for the idiom under consideration. The floating melismas that open the Cantico dedicated to St Francis of Assisi share a visionary aspect with the hymns on Qum'ran texts that are as far as can be imagined from the jolly folkloristic character of certain song‐cycles. There are plenty of homages to music of the past such as the baroqueries of the piano music, much of it written for his wife Cecilia, but one never forgets that Rodrigo was a creature of his age.

The performances gathered here are authoritative, many of them made as they were under the aegis of the Rodrigo Foundation, and many also exclusive to the Rodrigo Edition on Brilliant Classics. For anyone who loves Spanish music, anyone who wants to listen beyond the Concierto de Aranjuez, or anyone who delights in unfailingly tuneful music, this set will have a compelling appeal.