Rodrigo - Concierto De Aranjuez [Isbin/Foster-Orchestre De Chambre De Lausanne]
A wonderful interpretation of Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto by the American Guitarist Sharon Isbin.
Of course i love the slow Adagio, it feels like it's shrouded in mystery, evoking the Gardens of Aranjuez hundreds of years ago in a time long forgotten, this movement is more like a Double Concerto for Guitar & Cor Anglais, rather than a Guitar Concerto, the Cor Anglais played by Markus Haberling, is the perfect foil in a dialogue between Guitar and Orchestra, of which this Cor Anglais is the main voice in the Orchestra.
The Adagio starts with the quiet strumming of the Guitar [0:00], while the Cor Anglais plays this achingly beautiful tune [0:08-0:48], the Guitar responds by repeating the tune [0:49-1:25], again the Cor Anglais replies more impassioned [1:31-2:10], and again the Guitar matches that passion [2:13-2:55], this beginning is probably the most wonderful moment of the whole Concerto, the dialogue keeps going back and forth between Guitar and Orchestra, getting more complex, there's also a substantial virtuoso cadenza, and a satisfying coda, how can anyone resist this dreamy piece of music?, i just love the way is transports me.
Here's Sharon Isbin playing the Adagio on YouTube, not a very clear picture, though it is Sharon.
