What is Joaquín Rodrigo?
[[File:Aranjuez MonumentoJoaquinRodrigo1.jpg|thumb|Monument to Rodrigo in Aranjuez]] '''Joaquín Rodrigo Vidre, 1st Marquess of the Gardens of Aranjuez''' ({{IPA-es|xoaˈkin roˈðɾiɣo|lang}}; 22 November 1901 – 6 July 1999) was a [[Spain|Spanish]] [[composer]] of [[classical music]] and a [[virtuoso]] [[piano|pianist]]. Although he was [[blind]] from an early age, he became one of the most important Spanish composers of the [[20th century]]. He wrote a lot of music for [[guitar]], which helped classical guitar music worldwide to become more popular. His most famous work is a guitar [[concerto]] called ''Concierto de Aranjuez''. == Life == === Early life === Rodrigo became blind at the age of three after becoming ill with [[diphtheria]]. When he was eight he began to learn [[piano]] and [[violin]]. He also learned the guitar, but never became very good at it, although he was to compose some wonderful music for the instrument. After studying music in [[Valencia]] he went to [[Paris]] where he studied with [[Paul Dukas]] in [[Paris]]. After a short time back in Spain he returned to Paris to study [[musicology]], first under Maurice Emmanuel and then under André Pirro. In [[1947]] Rodrigo became a professor of music history in Madrid, a job that was made especially for him. === His famous concertos === Rodrigo’s most famous work, ''de Aranjuez'', was composed in [[1939]] in Paris. It is a [[concerto]] for solo classical guitar and orchestra. There are three [[movement (music)|movements]]. The middle movement is a slow movement with a tune which is played on the [[cor anglais]]. It has become one of classical music’s best-loved tunes. After the success of this piece several other musicians asked him to write concertos for them, e.g. the [[flute|flautist]] [[James Galway]], the [[cello|cellist]] [[Julian Lloyd Webber]] and the guitarist [[Andrés Segovia]], for whom he composed ''Fantasía para un gentilhombre'' in [[1954]]. Another of his works is called ''Concierto Andaluz,'' for four guitars and orchestra. === Honou