Flamenco programme with works by Rodrigo and De Falla

Rodrigo's tribute to Aranjuez

The blind Spanish composer Rodrigo wrote his Concerto de Aranjuez in 1939, inspired by the beauty of the vast baroque gardens of the royal palace in Aranjuez, the historic summer residence of the Spanish royal family. According to the composer, this music allows you to hear ‘the scent of magnolias, the singing of birds and the cheerful babble of fountains’. Rodrigo's Concerto is perhaps the most famous guitar concerto ever written, thanks in part to the moving slow movement that regularly features in films and documentaries.

De Falla inspired by flamenco

When the First World War broke out, Spaniard Manuel de Falla, who was living in Paris at the time, fled back to his native country. There he began to work on his ballet El Amor Brujo. He was commissioned to write it by the gypsy artist Pastora Imperio and drew inspiration from Andalusian flamenco culture, most recognisable in the hit ‘The Fire Dance’. The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra will perform the popular orchestral version.