A Conductor's Guide To Joaquín

A Conductor’s Guide to
Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez
by
Youngjoon (François) Koh
A Dissertation submitted in conformity with the requirements

for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
© Copyright by Youngjoon (François) Koh 2020

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A Conductor’s Guide to Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez
Youngjoon (François) Koh
Doctor of Musical Arts
Faculty of Music
University of Toronto
2020
Abstract
This dissertation provides an analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez (1939) by Joaquín
Rodrigo (1901-1995). Chapter 1 will introduce the purpose of this research, research questions,
methodologies, and a brief history of the guitar. The main research question is how to resolve
problematic issues of Concierto de Aranjuez in general, and the dissertation provides solutions in
terms of technical and musical issues. This chapter also discusses the technological development
of the classical guitar and amplification issues in the concerto context. At the end of the chapter, a
short biography of Rodrigo and the historical background of Concierto de Aranjuez will be
provided. Chapter 2 is a literature review of resources concerning guitar method, literature related
to the guitar and orchestra, analysis of guitar concertos, and materials concerning guitar concertos.
The third, fourth and fifth chapters will consist of the theoretical analysis and practical analysis of
each movement of Concierto de Aranjuez. Theoretical analysis will include: structural analysis;
study of the solo guitar part; orchestration; texture; folkloric elements; suggestions about errata
and missing dynamics. Conductor’s guide will include: sound balance; beat patterns; bowings and
bow distribution; problematic issues that concern the conductor, soloist and orchestra; conductor-
soloist relationship and orchestra-soloist coordination. Chapter 6 will provide useful tips for
conducting guitar concerti in general and information about the amplification and microphones.
ii
The concluding chapter will summarize the essential information for conductors and soloists
presented in previous chapters. The expected outcomes will be classified into two categories,
conductor’s guide to Concierto de Aranjuez and conductor’s guide to the guitar concerto in general.
This chapter will also suggest a potential direction for future research concerning the guitar
concerto.
iii
Acknowledgments
My dissertation project would not have been possible without the support, inspiration, and
encouragement of following professors. I would like to give my deepest appreciation to them.
Dr. Gillian MacKay, her positive energy and rich musical experience as performer and
conductor enabled me to continue and to complete this project.
Dr. Jeffrey McFadden, during the project, he supported me by advising guitar-related
resources and performing Concierto de Aranjuez with the University of Toronto Symphony
Orchestra.
Dr. Uri Mayer, he has given me precious advice regarding orchestra-related information
since my first year of DMA studies. He also has been a role model for me as conductor and
educator.
Dr. Elliot Frank, and Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, they provided me insight opinions and practical
suggestions at the defense.
Dr. John Stowe, his advice about the dissertation writing immensely helped me to shape
my dissertation.
I also would like to thank to following people who supported me in various ways.
Ms. Carolyne Kane, and Schott Music Corp who kindly allowed me to use the excerpts of
Concierto de Aranjuez for my dissertation.
iv
My father, mother, who have encouraged me to finish my studies from the other side of the
country. I also thank my maternal grandmother, who loved me so much and supported my studies
in France financially.
Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to a special person in my life.
My lovely wife Sophia Eunseon Cho. Her endless support and inspiration enabled me to
complete a master’s degree in orchestral conducting at McGill University and a doctoral degree at
the University of Toronto. Without her, I would not have achieved this long project.
v
Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to my grandfather Jaewoo Koh who was a victim of the Bodo
League Massacre and my great-uncle Jaekoon Koh, a victim of Battle of Kunsan during the
Korean War.
vi
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iv
Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... vi
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ vii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ xi
List of Examples .......................................................................................................................... xii
List of Figures...............................................................................................................................xv
List of Appendix ......................................................................................................................... xvi
Chapter 1 ........................................................................................................................................1
Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1
1.1 Purpose and Objective of the Research ...........................................................................1
1.2 Research Questions ............................................................................................................3
1.3 Research Design and Methodologies ................................................................................3
1.4 Contribution of this Research ...........................................................................................5
Background Information for the Research ............................................................................5
2.1 History of the Classical Guitar .........................................................................................5
2.1.1 Classical Era: First Golden Age of the Classical Guitar ....................................6
2.1.2 Romantic Era: Decline of the Guitar ...................................................................7
2.1.3 The 20th and 21st Century: The Second Golden Age of the Classical
Guitar ......................................................................................................................8
2.2 Joaquín Rodrigo and Concierto de Aranjuez ...................................................................8
2.3 The Guitar; Development and Extension of its Capacities ..........................................10
2.3.1 History of Guitar Construction ..........................................................................11
2.3.2 Use of Amplification ............................................................................................11
Chapter 2 Literature Review ......................................................................................................13
Chapter 3 Analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez: Movement 1 .....................................................44
vii
Theoretical Analysis and Conductor’s Guide ......................................................................46
3.1 Introduction: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-43)..............................................................................46
3.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25) ....................................................46
3.1.2 Conductor’s guide: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25) ........................................................47
3.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ① to ② (mm.26-43) ........................................................49
3.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ① to ② (mm.26-43) ..........................................................49
3.2 Exposition (mm. 44-114)..................................................................................................50
3.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ② to ④ -1 (m.44-60) .......................................................50
3.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ② to ④-1 (mm.44-60) .......................................................51
3.2.3 Theoretical Analysis: ④ to ⑥+4 (mm.61-82) ....................................................53
3.2.4 Conductor’s Guide: ④ to 4a⑥+4 (mm.61-82) ..................................................53
3.2.5 Theoretical Analysis: 5a⑥ to 1b⑩ (mm. 83-114) .............................................54
3.3 Development: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) .........................................................................56
3.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) ................................................56
3.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) ..................................................57
3.4 Recapitulation: ⑯ to ㉒-1(mm.166-219) .......................................................................59
3.4.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219) ................................................59
3.4.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219) ..................................................60
3.5 Coda: ㉒ to the End (mm.220-243).................................................................................61
3.5.1 Theoretical Analysis: (mm.220-243)...................................................................61
3.5.2 Conductor’s Guide: (mm.220-243) .....................................................................62
4.1 Part 1: m.1 to ⑤-1 (mm.1-25) .........................................................................................65
viii
4.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ①-1 (mm.1-7).......................................................65
4.1.2 Conductor’s Guide: m.1 to ③-1 (mm.1-16) .......................................................66
4.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25) .....................................................69
4.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25) .......................................................70
4.2 Part 2: ⑤ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83) ........................................................................................71
4.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36) ....................................................71
4.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36) ......................................................71
4.2.3 Theoretical Analysis: ⑦+4 to ⑩-1 (mm.37- 56)................................................73
4.2.4 Conductor’s Guide: ⑦+4 to ⑩-1 (mm.37- 56) ..................................................74
4.2.5 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83) ....................................................75
4.2.6 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83) ......................................................77
4.3 Part 3: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101) ..............................................................................79
4.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101) .........................................79
4.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101)............................................79
5.1 Introduction: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40) .................................................................................84
5.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40) ........................................................84
5.1.2 Conductor’s Guide: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40) ..........................................................84
5.2 Section 1: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97) ................................................................................86
5.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97).................................................86
5.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97) ...................................................86
5.3 Section 2: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161) ......................................................................................87
5.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161) ......................................................87
ix
5.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161) ........................................................89
5.4 Section 3: ⑩+2 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229) ............................................................................90
5.4.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩+1 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229).............................................90
5.4.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩+2 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229) ...............................................91
5.5 Section 4: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290) .............................................................................92
5.5.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290)..............................................92
5.5.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290) ................................................93
5.6 Section 5 and Codetta: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321) ...................95
5.6.1 Theoretical Analysis: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321)..........95
5.6.2 Conductor’s Guide: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321) ............95
Chapter 6 Useful Tips for Conducting Guitar Concertos ........................................................97
6.1 Tips Associated with Musical Expression and Technique ............................................97
6.1.1 Establishing Dynamic Levels .................................................................................97
6.1.2 Relative Dynamic and Fingerings..........................................................................97
6.1.3 Understanding the Rest Stroke and the Free Stroke ...........................................98
6.2 Tips Assoiciated with Amplification ................................................................................99
6.2.1 Sound Reinforcement System ................................................................................99
6.2.2 Microphone Types by Transducer ......................................................................100
6.2.3 Microphone Types by Polar Patterns .................................................................104
6.2.4 Microphone Setting ...............................................................................................107
Chapter 7 Conclusion ................................................................................................................109
Bibliography ...............................................................................................................................113
Appendix .....................................................................................................................................117
x
List of Tables
Table Page
Table 3.1 Structure of the movement 1…………………………………………………………..45
Table 6.1 Comparison of Transducer Designs………………………………………………......104
xi
List of Examples
Example Page
Example 3.1 Mvt I, Pedal tone of the bass, mm 4-6………………..…………………………….47
Example 3.2 Mvt I, Woodwinds entrance , mm.19-22……………………………………………48
Example 3.3 Mvt I, Important anacrusis, mm 23-25…………………………………………..…49
Example 3.4 Mvt I, Entrance of the strings, mm.27-31………………………………………….50
Example 3.5 Mvt I, First theme by the oboe and first violins, mm 45-53……………………….51
Example 3.6 Mvt I, First theme entrance and bass pizzicato, mm 41-45…………………………51
Example 3.7 Mvt I, 3.7 Mvt I, French horns, mm 53- 56…………………………………………52
Example 3.8 Mvt I, Viola, cello and bass, mm 57-61………………………………………….…52
Example 3.9 Mvt I, French horn 1, mm 72-76…………………………………………………....54
Example 3.10 Mvt I , Second theme by the guitar, mm 83-87……………………………………54
Example 3.11 Mvt I, Guitar and bassoon I, mm 82-85……………………………………………55
Example 3.12 Mvt I, Guitar’s scale, mm 109-113………………………………………………..55
Example 3.13 Mvt I, Cello solo, mm 117-119…………………………………………………...56
Example 3.14 Mvt I, Guitar solo, mm 126-128…………………………………………………..56
Example 3.15 Mvt I, Tutti, mm 146-148…………………………………………………………58
Example 3.16 Mvt I, Tutti, mm 156-159………………………………………………………....59
Example 3.17 Mvt I, Strings, mm 79-81, 95-96, 184-186………………………………………...60
Example 3.18 Mvt I, Guitar solo, mm 216-219…………………………………………………...61
Example 3.19 Mvt I, Guitar solo, mm 232-234…………………………………………………..62
Example 3.20 Mvt I, Bassoon I and trumpet I, mm 236-239……………………………………...63
Example 3.21 Mvt I, Guitar solo and bassoon I, mm 242-243……………………………………63
xii
Example 4.1 Mvt II, Main theme by English Horn mm.1- 4 ……………………………………66
Example 4.2 Mvt II, Main theme mm.5-8………………………………………………………...67
Example 4.3 Mvt II, Guitar solo mm.9-12………………………………………………………..68
Example 4.4 Mvt II, Thematic motive mm.13-16………………………………………………..68
Example 4.5 Mvt II, Thematic motive mm.21-23………………………………………………...69
Example 4.6 Mvt II, Guitar solo ③, mm.17-18………………………………………………….70
Example 4.7 Mvt II, Thematic motive mm.24-26……………………………………………...…71
Example 4.8 Mvt II, Guitar solo part mm.27-29……………………………………………….…72
Example 4.9 Mvt II, Erratum in the cello part, mm.31-33………………………………………..72
Example 4.10 Mvt II, First guitar cadenza mm.37-39……………………………………………73
Example 4.11 Mvt II, First guitar cadenza mm.45-47……………………………………………74
Example 4.12 Mvt II, First guitar cadenza mm.52-53…………………………………………….75
Example 4.13 Mvt II, Second guitar cadenza cadenza mm.57-58….……………………………76
Example 4.14 Mvt II, Second guitar cadenza cadenza mm.65-68………………………………..76
Example 4.15 Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.69-76…………………………....77
Example 4.16 Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.77-80…………………………….78
Example 4.17 Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.83………………………………..78
Example 4.18 Mvt II, Tutti, mm.62-64…………………………………………………………...80
Example 4.19 Mvt II, Tutti, mm.92-94..………………………………………………………….81
Example 4.20 Mvt II, Tutti, mm.99-101………………………………………………………….82
Example 5.1 Mvt III, Intro, m.1………………………………………………………………......84
Example 5.2 Mvt III, Guitar solo, mm.1-8……………………………………………………….85
Example 5.3 Mvt III, Orchestra’s tutti, mm. 20-29………………………………………………85
xiii
Example 5.4 Mvt III, Flute solo, mm. 45-49……………………………………………………...86
Example 5.5 Mvt III, Guitar solo, mm.65-69………………..……………………………………87
Example 5.6 Mvt III, Pirulero theme by guitar, mm. 69-73.…………………………………….87
Example 5.7 Mvt III, Guitar solo, mm.96-103………………………..………………………….88
Example 5.8 Mvt III, Pirulero theme by guitar,mm.104-108………...………………………….88
Example 5.9 Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggio, mm.139-146…………………………………………..89
Example 5.10 Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggio, mm.156-160………………………………………....90
Example 5.11 Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggios and scales, mm.179-182 & mm. 203-206……...…….91
Example 5.12 Mvt III, Orchestra’s fanfare-like theme, mm.240-244..…………………………..92
Example 5.13 Mvt III, Guitar’s short cadenza, mm.280-288…………………………………….93
Example 5.14 Mvt III, Guitar’s scale, mm. 288-291.…………………………………………….94
Example 5.15 Mvt III, Ending of the piece, mm. 297-312……………………………………….95
xiv
List of Figures
Figure Page
Figure 3.1 Important themes of the first movement …………………………………………….44
Figure 3.2 Excerpt of Anton Pirulero……………………………………………………………46
Figure 3.3 Hemiola in 6/8……………………………………………………….………………..50
Figure 4.1 Important themes…………………………………………………….………………..64
Figure 6.1 Diagram of a dynamic moving coil…………………………………………………..101
Figure 6.2 Diagram of a ribbon transducer……………………………………………………..102
Figure 6.3 Diagram of a condenser transducer…………………………………………………103
Figure 6.4 Omnidirectional polar pattern microphone…………………………………………..105
Figure 6.5 Bi-directional polar pattern microphone……………………………………………..105
Figure 6.6 Cardioid polar pattern microphone……………………………………………….…106
xv
List of Appendix
Letters of Permission………...……………………………………………………………….117
xvi
1
Chapter 1
The first chapter will introduce the purpose of this research, research questions,
methodologies, and a brief history of the guitar. This chapter also discusses the technological
development of the classical guitar and amplification issues in the concerto context. At the end of
the chapter, a short biography of Rodrigo and the historical background of Concierto de Aranjuez
will be provided.
Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Objective of the Research
The purpose of my research is to provide practical information about the rehearsing and
performance of classical guitar concertos for conductors by analyzing Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto
de Aranjuez. The prominence of the classical guitar in the 20th century led many composers such
as Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), Mario Castelnuovo - Tedesco (1895-1968), and Joaquín
Rodrigo (1901-1999) to write concertos for this instrument. 1 After witnessing the success of these
guitar concertos, many contemporary composers have now begun writing guitar concertos. 2
However, despite the prominence of the classical guitar in the 20th century, the complexity of
classical guitar technique, its unique timbre and the sound balance between the guitar and orchestra
have always been critical issues for conductors. 3 While looking for resources related to the guitar
1
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Guitar Concerto W501(1951), Mario Castelnuovo – Tedesco, Guitar Concerto No. 1 in D
major, Op. 99 (1939), Joaquín Rodrigo, Fantasía para un gentilhombre (1954)
2
Some examples: Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006), Guitar Concerto Op.67 (1959); André Previn (b.1929), Concerto
for Guitar (1971); Leo Brouwer (b.1939), Concerto de Toronto (1987); Tan Dun(b.1957), Concerto for Guitar
and Orchestra (Yi2) (1996).
3
David Itkin, Conducting Concerti: A Technical and Interpretive Guide (Denton, Texas: University of North Texas
Press, 2014):383.
2
and the orchestra, I have noticed that there is very limited literature on this subject. Most of the
information obtainable is from the point of view of the guitarist, and there is a paucity of material
from the conductor’s perspective. This lack of resources about the guitar concerto motivates me to
write a dissertation which can provide a guide for non-guitar playing conductors in particular, who
want to conduct guitar concertos effectively. To achieve this, I will undertake a performance
analysis of one of the best-known guitar concertos, Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo.
Joaquín Rodrigo composed six concertos for guitar(s), and among them, Concierto de
Aranjuez (1939), dedicated to Spanish guitarist Regino Sáinz de la Maza (1896-1981), is
considered his most successful work. 4 Since its premiere in 1940, Concierto de Aranjuez has
become an emblem of the guitar concerto and has been performed worldwide. I have selected
Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez for my research since its intricacy provides a wide range of tasks
for conductors to learn about guitar concertos. For example, there are many Spanish folkloric
elements such as flamenco-style rhythms and melodies in the score. Furthermore, the solo part
includes unconventional harmonies and fingerings which expand the technical capacity of the
guitarist. In my dissertation, I will analyze the problematic issues such as the sound balance and
non-idiomatic passages of Concierto de Aranjuez so that conductors of this piece can have solid
rehearsal techniques and performance outcomes.
4
Concierto de Aranjuez (1939), Fantasía para un gentilhombre (1954), Concierto madrigal for two guitars (1966),
Concierto Andaluz for four guitars (1967), Concierto para una fiesta (1982) and Rincones de España (1990).
3
1.2 Research Questions
My research questions consist of a main question and four sub-questions which enable the
reader to understand general characteristics of the guitar concerto and the specific characters of
Concierto de Aranjuez.
Main Question: What are the problematic issues of Concierto de Aranjuez in general?
a) What are the issues of style and orchestration in the score which demand
conductors’ specific sensitivity and intervention?
b) What are the issues of style and technique in the solo part which demand
conductors’ specific sensitivity and intervention?
c) What are the important rehearsal considerations for conductors in the
preparation of guitar concerto performances?
d) What are the general issues in Concierto de Aranjuez that could be applied to
the performance of other guitar concertos?
1.3 Research Design and Methodologies
My research design consists of three steps: theoretical analysis; practical analysis;
investigation of written historical resources. From these data, I will construct a conductor’s guide
to performing Concierto de Aranjuez. Guitar researcher Graham Wade’s book, Joaquín Rodrigo
and the Concierto de Aranjuez provides a brief structural and harmonic analysis of each movement
of the concerto.5 The overall structure of my theoretical analysis methodology will refer to Wade’s
stylistic and harmonic analysis, but will give further information from the conductor’s perspective
5
Graham Wade, Joaquín Rodrigo and the Concierto de Aranjuez (Leeds: Mayflower Enterprises, 1985):71.
4
based on a phrase-by-phrase guide. Suggestions about errata and inconsistencies in the score and
parts of Concierto de Aranjuez will be presented in this part as well.6 Marimbist Robert Brudvig's
dissertation about Anders Koppel’s marimba concertos suggests effective solutions for the
problematic performance issues from a performer’s perspective. 7 For example, Brudvig points out
articulation inconsistencies between the woodwinds and the solo marimba in the score and
suggests adding slurs in order to achieve musical coherence. 8 I will apply Brudvig’s methodology
to correct the errors and inconsistencies in Concierto de Aranjuez and explain the particular nature
of the guitar so that the conductor can make musical adjustments to unify the solo guitar and
orchestra. One of the most common problematic issues of the guitar concerto is the sound balance
between the guitar and orchestra. My research will provide various methods of maintaining a good
sound balance by understanding the nature of each instrument and the texture of the orchestration.
(For example, appropriate bowing and bow distribution suggestions to the string instruments and
relative dynamic range suggestions to the wind and brass instruments.) In his book, Conducting
Concerti, conductor David Itkin analyses forty-three concertos from the conductor’s perspective
and provides a good guideline to address my research questions a), c) and d). 9 Itkin analyses
concertos not only from the conductor’s perspective but also from the soloist’s viewpoint. 10 He
suggests various technical aspects of conducting in terms of the dynamic, tempo and beat patterns.
My methodology will refer to Itkin’s rehearsal techniques, but expand them further to create a
6
Clinton F. Nieweg, Stuart S. Serio, and Jennifer A. Johnson, "Scores & Parts: Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto De
Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra," Journal of the Conductors Guild 24/1-2 (2003):68-69, accessed August 20,
2018, doi:https://cog.memberclicks.net/assets/JOURNALS/Volume24[1].pdf.
7
Robert Ian Brudvig, "A Performer’s Guide to the Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra and “P.S. to a Concerto” by
Anders Koppel" (D.M.A., The University of Arizona, 2002).
http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search-proques-
com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/304802276?accountid=14771.
8
Ibid., 50.
9
Itkin, Conducting Concerti, 2014.
10
Cellist Carter Brey, pianist Mischa Dichter, violinist Robert McDuffie gave feedback based on their rehearsal
and concert experience to Itkin.
5
complete conductor’s guide to Concierto de Aranjuez. In addition to the analysis of orchestration
and rehearsal techniques, my research will present an analysis of the unidiomatic solo guitar
passages of Concierto de Aranjuez, which gives an answer to the research question b), and suggest
some considerations for the conductor.
1.4 Contribution of this Research
Before becoming a conductor, my undergraduate major was in classical guitar
performance. While playing chamber music and guitar concertos, I noticed that conductors and
guitarists often did not communicate well, due to a lack of knowledge and experience between
guitar and orchestra. To write a dissertation on the guitar concerto provides a unique opportunity
for me, a conductor and guitarist. My musical background and experience related to guitar and
orchestra will greatly help me to produce a practical guide for conductors and guitarists. My
dissertation will be a starting point for research on this guitar concerto from the conductor’s
perspective, and a guideline for managing the problematic issues which arise while rehearsing
guitar concertos in general.
Background Information for the Research
2.1 History of the Classical Guitar
Plucked stringed instruments have a very long historical background. The first guitar-like
instrument appears on a 1400 BC archaeological object from the city gates of the new Hittite
settlement at Alaca Höyük. (in present day Turkey) From 1400BC to 1800AD, various plucked
stringed instruments evolved in the Middle East, Asia, and the Far East. 11 Guitar-like instruments
11
Maurice J. Summerfield, The Classical Guitar: Its Evolution, Players and Personalities since
1800, 5th ed. (WI: Ashley Mark Pub. Co; Hal Leonard, 2002).
6
were developed in Europe as well. Lute and vihuela were well-known plucked instruments through
the Renaissance and Baroque era. The theorbo – a continuo body plucked instrument covers the
low range of an ensemble- was an especially important part of the orchestra. However, due to the
decline of basso continuo, the plucked stringed instruments disappeared from the opera orchestra
in the Classical era.
2.1.1 Classical Era: First Golden Age of the Classical Guitar
The golden age of the classical guitar as a solo instrument began around 1775 in Spain
and Italy. 12 Composers such as Fernando Sor (1778-1839), Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841),
Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829), and Dionisio Aguado (1784-1849) flourished in the golden age of
the classical guitar by composing, performing their own works, and publishing guitar method
books.13 Besides the solo repertoire, some guitar composers such as B. Vidal (d. 1800), Antoine
de L’Hoyer (1768-1852), and Charles Doisy (?- 1807) composed guitar concertos between 1793
and 1804.14 However, their concertos have only string quartet accompaniment. Many scholars
agree that Giuliani's Concerto for Guitar and orchestra in A Op.30 (1808), which has double
woodwind instruments, two horns and strings, is one of the first complete guitar concertos ever
written.15
12
Ibid., 14-15.
13
Ibid.
14
Stanley Yates, Three Early Guitar Concertos (the Earliest-Known Guitar Concerto and Two Others) from Late
Eighteenth/Early Nineteenth-Century Paris: Vidal, Doisy and Doisy-Viotti. 2010
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59496d68579fb39a74a36d25/t/597637243a0411571e179e0c/1500919589685
/Three_Early_Guitar_Concertos.pdf
15
Roger West Hudson, "The Orchestration of the Guitar Concerto: A Comparison of the Concerto in A Major, Op.
30, by Mauro Giuliani and the Concierto Del Sol by Manuel Ponce." (M. Mus. Georgia State University, 1992).
7
2.1.2 Romantic Era: Decline of the Guitar
The golden age of the classical guitar declined from the middle of the 19 th century due to
the simultaneous development of orchestral and keyboard instruments. 16 The development of these
instruments also led to the formation of the modern orchestra. John Spitzer and Neal Zaslaw argue
that plucked stringed players in opera orchestras disappeared by the 18 th century because of their
small volume. Meanwhile larger theatres were being constructed, and instruments that could
produce a larger volume were required. 17 In the Romantic era, none of the well-known composers,
such as Beethoven and Brahms, wrote concertos or major works for this instrument. However,
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), who was a devoted guitarist himself, composed many solo guitar
pieces, duets for violin and guitar, and fifteen guitar quartets, which consist of guitar, violin, viola
and cello.18
In 19th-century opera literature, plucked instruments reappeared as instruments used
solely for accompaniment. Composers such as Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), Gioachino Rossini
(1792-1868), and Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826) employed the classical guitar in their operas,
although its role was limited to accompanying arias or establishing a folkloric atmosphere. 19 The
Spanish guitarist and composer Francisco Tárrega (1854-1909) contributed to the expansion of the
guitar repertoire by composing new pieces. He also transcribed other instrumental works by J.S
Bach, W. A. Mozart, L. v. Beethoven, F. Schubert and others for the guitar. 20 A significant
16
Summerfield, 14.
17
John Spitzer, Neal Zaslaw. 2004. The birth of the orchestra: history of an institution, 1650-1815 (Oxford: Oxford
University Press):149.
18
For example, Paganini composed 37 Sonatas for guitar M.S 84, and Sonata Concertata in A major for Guitar and
Violin, Op. 61 which has a lot of melodic passages played by guitar. He also composed works for mandolin and
guitar such as Serenata per Rovene in E minor M.S 14 and Serenata in G minor M.S 16.
19
Mark C. Stanek, "Guitar in the Opera Literature: A Study of the Instrument's use in Opera during the 19th and
20th Centuries" (D.A thesis, Ball State University, 2004)
20
Summerfield, 17.
8
development in guitar construction also enabled Tárrega to expand the repertoire and techniques
of the classical guitar. Please see section 2.3.1 for a discussion of guitar construction.
2.1.3 The 20th and 21st Century: The Second Golden Age of the Classical Guitar
In the 20th century, the status of the guitar as a classical instrument rose dramatically, due
to the efforts of many prominent guitarists and composers. Emilio Pujol (1886-1980) and Miguel
Llobet (1878-1938), students of Tárrega, made tours to Europe and to America to promote classical
guitar music. Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) contributed greatly, expanding the guitar repertoire by
performing commissioned works and arranging masterworks that were originally written for other
instruments.21 As a result, in the Second Golden Age of the guitar, its use as a solo instrument
attracted the attention of many composers. Mainstream symphonic composers such as Manuel de
Falla (1876–1946), Darius Milhaud (1892–1974), Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), and William
Walton (1902-1983) composed works for solo guitar. 22 In the 21st century, many renowned
guitarists such as Julian Bream (b.1933), John Williams (b. 1941), Manuel Baruecco (b.1952),
Pepe Romero (b.1944), Angel Romero (b.1946), and David Russell (b.1953) have elevated the
status of the classical guitar by having performed repertoire from the Renaissance to the modern
era.
2.2 Joaquín Rodrigo and Concierto de Aranjuez
Joaquín Rodrigo (1901-1999) was one of the most famous Spanish composers in the 20 th
century. He was born in Sagunto, Spain, in 1901. He lost his eyesight at the age of three due to
diphtheria, which took many children’s lives in Sagunto. 23 In 1906, His family moved from
21
Summerfield, 17.
22
Manuel de Falla, Pour le tombeau de Claude Debussy, Darius Milhaud, Ségoviana, Op. 366 (1957), Benjamin
Britten, Nocturnal after John Dowland, op. 70 (1999), William Walton, Five Bagatelles for Guitar (1971)
23
Graham Wade, Joaquín Rodrigo and the Concierto de Aranjuez (Leeds: Mayflower Enterprises, 1985): 13.
9
Sagunto to Valencia where Rodrigo could receive special education for the blind. By the age of
eight, Rodrigo had begun to study solfege, violin and piano, which was his main instrument.24
At the age of sixteen, Rodrigo started studying harmony and composition with Francisco
Antich, Enrique Gomá and Eduardo López Chavarri at the Conservatoire in Valencia, and
premiered his first orchestral work, Juglares (1923), in Valencia and Madrid in 1924. In 1927,
Rodrigo moved to Paris to further his studies, following in the footsteps of earlier Spanish
composers such as Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909), Enrique Granados (1867-1916), Manuel de Falla
(1876-1946), and Joaquín Turina (1882-1949). Rodrigo studied composition with Paul Dukas
(1865-1935) at École Normale de Musique for five years and became famous as pianist and
composer.25 In Paris, he became acquainted with many artists such as Manuel de Falla, Maurice
Ravel (1875-1937), Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), and Andres Segovia to whom he dedicated
Fantasía para un Gentilhombre, a piece for guitar and orchestra. While in Paris, Rodrigo attended
many concerts to broaden his musical experience. 26
In 1929, Rodrigo met a Turkish pianist Victoria Kamhi (1905-1997) and married her in
1932 in Valencia. After the marriage, she helped Rodrigo for her entire life by performing his piano
works, editing his compositions, writing texts for his vocal music pieces. 27 Rodrigo settled down
in Valencia with Kamhi in 1933 and concentrated on composing music. His first piece for large
orchestra, Per la flor del lliri blau (1934) received the Círculo de Bellas Artes Prize. In 1935, with
help from Falla, Rodrigo received the Conde de Cartagena Scholarship which enabled him to
study musicology at Sorbonne and Conservatoire de Musique de Paris with Kahmi. In this period,
24
Newcomb B. Lawrence, “The Six Works For Guitar (or Guitars) and Orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo.”(DMA diss.,
University of Florida, 1998).
25
Juanjo Luna, "Biography," Web Joaquin Rodrigo, accessed January 03, 2019, https://www.joaquin-
rodrigo.com/index.php/en/biografia/10-autor/biografia/13-biografia-corta.
26
Wade, 14-15.
27
Newcomb, 20.
10
the couple gained strong theoretical knowledge which covers from the Renaissance to the opera
literature.28
The outbreak of the Spanish Civil war in 1936 ended their studies, and they experienced
three difficult years as refugees in France and Germany. On September 3, 1939, the Rodrigos
finally returned to Madrid, which became their permanent residence, since the position of Musical
Advisor for the Radio Nacional de España was offered by Antonio Tovar (1911-1985), a renowned
philologist.29 Settling in Madrid enabled Rodrigo to give the premiere of Concierto de Aranjuez,
which was composed in Paris in early 1939. On November 9, 1940, the concerto was premiered in
Barcelona by guitarist Regino Sáinz de la Maza and the Barcelona Philharmonic Orchestra. After
the premiere, the audience and critics and greatly praised the concerto. The beautiful main theme
of the second movement is still beloved world-wide, and has been arranged countless times for
other instruments such as trumpet and violin. 30
2.3 The Guitar; Development and Extension of its Capacities
Sound projection of the guitar always has been a crucial issue, especially in concerto
performances. Two important factors have a critical impact on the sound of the guitar: the
construction of the guitar and the use of the amplification.
28
Juanjo Luna, "Biography," Web Joaquin Rodrigo.
29
Newcomb, 22.
30
For example, trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991),Maurice André (1933-2012), and violinist David Garret
(b.1980) made arrangements of the second movement of Concierto de Aranjuez.
11
2.3.1 History of Guitar Construction
Despite the decline of the classical guitar in the 19th century, a revolution in its
construction occurred in Spain. Spanish luthier, Antonio de Torres Jurado (1817-1892), who is
often called the Stradivari of the guitar, constructed the modern model of this instrument. Torres
increased the length of the string to sixty-five centimetres in order to strengthen the sound
projection.31 His diagonal struts and the doming of the soundboard also enhanced the tone quality
and the sound projection. His new guitar enabled composers such as Tárrega to establish a standard
guitar technique and posture. His method of construction was recognized and developed by luthiers
such as Manuel Ramirez (1866-1916) and Hermann Hauser (1882-1952). 32 The innovation has
continued into the 21st century. Many luthiers have tried to change the construction of the top of
the guitar to produce a sound that is louder and more rich. German guitar maker Matthias
Dammann’s (b.1957) “double top” guitar and Austrailian luthier Greg Smallman’s (b.1947)
“lattice-braced guitar” have been widely used by many guitarists. The enhancement of the sound
projection led to the classical guitar becoming a distinguished solo instrument and a concerto
instrument by the 20th century.
2.3.2 Use of Amplification
There is no concrete evidence that Rodrigo intended that the solo guitar part of Concierto
de Aranjuez be amplified. However, it is important to note that the orchestration of Concierto de
Aranjuez is very transparent and Rodrigo drastically reduces the number of instruments when the
31
Wade, 71.
32
José L Romanillos. Antonio De Torres: Guitar Maker - His Life and Work (Shaftesbury, Dorset: Element
Books, 1990):48-58.
12
guitar solo is being played. An anecdote from the day before the premiere of Concierto de Aranjuez
supports the statement above:
On the eve of the premiere, Joaquín Rodrigo and the guitarist Regino Sáinz de la Maza
were travelling to Barcelona on the night train, together in a sleeping car. In the middle of
the night Regino woke the Maestro with these words: “I am obsessed by an idea that is
keeping me awake. What if tomorrow at the concert you can’t hear the guitar?” As a result
of that question, neither of the two slept that night. Fortunately his fears were unjustified,
the guitar was clearly heard and the audience applauded enthusiastically at the end of the
work.33
David Itkin explains the use of amplification from a conductor’s perspective. He points out that
advances in technology – amplifying the original guitar sound without distortion – and the
construction of big concert halls result in the frequent use of amplification in the 21 st century.
My research will be based on the guitar concerto with the use of the amplification and will provide
an in-depth discussion about the amplification in Chapter 6.
33
Joaquín Rodrigo. “Anecdotes on Concierto de Aranjuez.” Joaquín Rodrigo. Accessed November 6, 2018.
https://www.joaquin-rodrigo.com/index.php/en/concierto-de-aranjuez-2/anecdotas
13
Chapter 2
Literature Review
A Conductor’s Guide to
Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez
Introduction
Classical guitar concerto repertoire has evolved both technically and musically from the
Classical era through the twenty-first century. From the chamber-sized piece such as Mauro
Giuliani’s Concerto for Guitar in A major op.30 to the full symphony orchestra sized work such
as Leo Brouwer’s Concerto de Toronto, many composers have composed concertos for the
instrument. However, there are only a few resources that explain this non-orchestral instrument’s
character as a concerto instrument and most of them explain the guitar’s function in a general way.
As a result, many conductors have only minimal knowledge of the guitar when they rehearse and
perform guitar concertos. 34 Despite this lack of resources, there is some literature which serves to
provide background for the current study.
The objective of the Literature Review
The objective of this literature review is to gather dispersed resources related to the
classical guitar and to categorize them in order to have a more clear direction for my dissertation,
A Conductor’s Guide to Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
Most of the symphony composers in the Classical and the Romantic era did not consider
34
David Itkin, Conducting Concerti, 2014.
14
the guitar as an orchestral instrument or a concerto instrument. 35 Therefore, we need to explore
resources related to the guitar and the orchestra to extract information which supports and
contextualizes my research. This will be particularly important for non-guitar playing conductors
who want to conduct guitar concertos in an efficient way.
This literature review will cover the following subjects:
1. Resources related to Concierto de Aranjuez
2. Resources related to the guitar in the orchestral and opera literature
3. Resources related to the guitar method and technique
4. Resources related to the concertos for guitar and other instruments
5. Resources related to the conductor
Resources related to Concierto de Aranjuez
Guitarist and composer Graham Wade’s book, Joaquín Rodrigo and the Concierto de
Aranjuez introduces the musical background history of Concierto de Aranjuez and provides a brief
structural and harmonic analysis of each movement. 36 At the end of the book, Wade provides
Rodrigo’s comments on Concierto de Aranjuez, which explain his musical intention for his
concerto. Guitarist John David Quijano Rodriguez made an arrangement of Concierto de Aranjuez
for solo guitar and two accompanying guitars and conducted a short analysis of the original
concerto. 37 His analysis includes information about the folkloric elements in Concierto de
35
Maurice J. Summerfield, The Classical Guitar: Its Evolution, Players and Personalities since 1800, 5th ed,
2002.
36
Graham Wade, Joaquín Rodrigo and the Concierto de Aranjuez (Leeds: Mayflower Enterprises, 1985).
37
John David Quijano Rodriguez,“Análisis y adaptación del Concierto de Aranjuez para guitarra solista y dos
guitarras acompañantes.” (BA thesis, Colombia Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 2013).
https://repository.javeriana.edu.co/handle/10554/11717
15
Aranjuez, which enables the reader to gain a deep understanding of the concerto.
Conductor David Itkin’s book, Conducting Concerti provides an analysis of Rodrigo’s
Concierto de Aranjuez.38 Itkin presents an anecdote with the famous guitarist Angel Romero while
rehearsing the second movement of this concerto. The author admits that he did not realize that his
clear pizzicato gesture - which could work with other instruments such as violin or piano – ruined
the style of the concerto until Angel Romero mentioned it to him. Below is a part of the anecdote.
He was very kind and gentlemanly, and said, “stop trying so hard… you keep the beat and
just let me play. OK?” I had “accompanied” him so well that I had ruined the piece. In this
kind of music, of which there is not a great deal in our standard repertoire, the goal is to
establish a framework upon which the soloist can appear to improvise. The result of my
attempt to vigilantly “accompany him” in this passage was a pizzicato bass line that,
instead of creating an even, pulsing framework, sounded like someone in the early stage
of a heart attack.39
Itkin gives suggestions about beating, tempo changes, and missing dynamics. Particularly, he
stresses the special articulations about Concierto de Aranjuez since there are gaps of expression
such as staccato and spiccato between the guitar and the orchestral instruments. He gives an insight
suggestion to the readers as follows.
This is not a piece for emotionally stand-offish, and each new sonic and expressive
element that the composer presents should be executed with complete commitment:
staccato must be extremely staccato, spiccato is flamboyantly spiccato, trills and accents
played with unabashed bravura, etc.40
Itkin did not include detailed analyses of each important passage regarding the sound
balance and bowing issues. Since he is not a guitarist, there is no information about idiomatic and
unidiomatic passages of Concierto de Aranjuez. The six-page analysis is not sufficient to
understand the entire concerto both musically and technically; however, his multiple perspectives
38
Itkin, Conducting Concerti, 2014.
39
Ibid., 383.
40
Ibid., 381.
16
are good resources for guitar and orchestra-related research.
Beside the analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez, Itkin’s book provides useful tips for
conducting concertos by presenting important passages from forty-two concerti mostly for piano,
violin, cello and other instruments. Itkin analyses concertos not only from the conductor’s
perspective but also from the soloist’s viewpoint. 41 His book contains not only the technical
aspects of conducting, but also considerable practical advice, such as the relationship between
conductors and soloists, studying solo parts, orchestras, and soloist coordination. 42
Guitarist Lawrence B. Newcomb’s dissertation about Rodrigo’s six concertos for guitar(s)
includes an analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez.43 Newcomb selects twelve representative examples
from the concerto and gives a harmonic and stylistic analysis which supports and enriches Wade's
analysis.44 Newcomb’s analysis is very theoretical and it does not provide practical and technical
suggestions. However, his dissertation includes many anecdotes about Rodrigo and the concerto
allowing the reader to understand the backgroud history of the piece.
Orchestra repertoire proofreader Clinton F. Nieweg and her colleagues, made a list of
errata of Concierto de Aranjuez.45 They classified thirty-four errata from the parts and score into
three categories: critical; necessary; questionable, and suggest corrections. Guitarist Silviu Ciulei
wrote a dissertation about flamenco guitar techniques in the music of Rodrigo.46 Ciulei’s research
41
Cellist Carter Brey, pianist Mischa Dichter, violinist Robert McDuffie gave feedback based on their rehearsal
and concert experience to Itkin.
42
Ibid., 1.
43
Newcomb, 1998.
44
Ibid., 48.
45
Clinton F. Nieweg, Stuart S. Serio, and Jennifer A. Johnson, 68-69, 2003.
46
Silviu Octavian Ciulei, “Flamenco Guitar Techniques in the Music of Joaquin Rodrigo” D.M. diss., Florida
State University, 2013 (Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2013), accessed November 22, 2018,
https://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu:183685.
17
gives useful tips from the perspective of a flamenco guitarist to the classical guitarist by providing
examples from Rodrigo’s guitar works. For example, Ciulei points out that many classical
guitarists neglect the percussive effect of rasgueado 47 when they perform Spanish music and
emphasizes the importance of the vivid rhythm in the guitar works of Rodrigo.
Guitarist Ricardo Saeb’s dissertation provides an analysis of the cadenzas of Concierto
de Aranjuez.48 Saeb provides specific information about the cadenzas in the second movement of
Concierto de Aranjuez. For example, he states that the melodies of Concierto de Aranjuez have a
strong connection with the Andalusian tradition. The author briefly introduces the historical
background of the second movement’s main theme as follows. “The popular main theme of the
Adagio is strongly associated with the saeta, which is an improvisatory melody sung during the
religious processions in celebration of Easter in the south of Spain.” 49 He also mentions the
specific notation in the second movement.
Saeb states that Rodrigo used the double-staff notation to clarify the contrapuntal context
of the cadenza. He points out that the double-staff notation also appeared before Concierto de
Aranjuez. During the time of Mauro Giuliani (1881-1929), composers experimented the double-
staff notation for the guitar.50 However, it disappeared and the single-staff notation has become a
standard notation for the guitar. After Concierto de Aranjuez, the use of double-staff notation has
again become more common in the guitar literature. Composers such as Benjamin Britten (1913-
1976), William Walton (1902-1983), and Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) used this notation to clarify
47
A special right hand strumming technique often used in flamenco style performances.
48
Carlos Ricardo Saeb Valenzuela, Noemí Lugo, and Dieter Hennings-Yeoma, “The Cadenzas of the first Modern
Guitar Concertos” (DMA., diss., Lexington: University of Kentucky, 2017)
http://uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/77/.
49
Ibid., 24.
50
Ibid., 28.
18
the counterpoint in their guitar works. 51 Saeb briefly analyses Phrygian and Locrian mode
melodies in the cadenza by providing an intervallic material, and gives explanations about the
right-hand arpeggios, which are helpful guides for non-guitar playing conductor.
Reflection
The resources related to Concierto de Aranjuez offer a basic framework for my research
paper. The overall structure of my theoretical analysis methodology will refer to Graham Wade’s
stylistic and harmonic analysis, but will give further information from a perspective of the
conductor based on a phrase-by-phrase guide. David Itkin suggests various technical aspects of
conducting in terms of the dynamic, tempo and beat patterns. My methodology will refer to Itkin’s
rehearsal techniques, but expand them further to create a complete conductor’s guide to Concierto
de Aranjuez. Ciulei and Saeb’s dissertations give information about flamenco techniques in
Concierto de Aranjuez which can be a helpful resource to non-guitar playing conductors.
Resources related to the guitar and the orchestral and opera literature
There are a few resources which bond the guitar and orchestral and opera literature. Jerald
Dallman wrote a dissertation about the guitaristic influence in Berlioz’s orchestral works. 52 In his
dissertation, Dallman presumes that Berlioz used the guitar to write his orchestral composition by
presenting an analysis of Mephistopheles’ Serenade from The Eight Scenes of Faust.
51
Ibid.
52
Paul Jerald Dallman, "Influence and use of the Guitar in the Music of Hector Berlioz" College Park, MD.
thesis, University of Maryland, 1972.
19
Mephistopheles’ Serenade consists of only the tenor solo (Mephistopheles) and the guitar
accompaniment, but Berlioz incorporated the entire work in a huge piece of music for four solo
voices, full seven-part chorus, a children's chorus and orchestra, La Damnation de Faust. While
arranging the original piece, Berlioz changed the guitar accompaniment passage of the Serenade
to a full orchestra accompaniment. Berlioz kept the original rhythm and the character of the guitar
accompaniment by imitating guitar’s plucked sound with strings’ pizzicato. The key of the original
piece is in E major, and Mephistopheles is tenor role, but the later one is in B major, and uses a
bass voice. He gave a precise indication to the second violin and viola; “Arpeggiate by sliding the
thumb over the four strings.”53 This is Berlioz’s typical guitar technique imitation that has concrete
evidence. Regarding the key change, it seems that Berlioz selected B major to fit the bass singer’s
vocal range. B major is a very uncommon tonality for the guitar since the guitar would have to
sacrifice three open strings.(A, D, G strings) Dallman also shows passages that are thought to have
been influenced by the guitar and explain the reason by providing evidence. For example, in terms
of the string technique, Berlioz asks the violinists to play pizzicatos by using the thumb, index,
major, and ring finger to execute sixteenth notes passages. Dallman states that this multiple finger
pizzicato technique is very similar to the arpeggio and tremolo technique of the guitar. 54 As
Dallman states, Berlioz is an important figure who represents a connection between guitar and the
symphonic music world. Even though he did not compose a guitar concerto, which was not a trend
at that time, many of his compositions seem to be inspired by guitar techniques. 55
Guitarist and conductor Mark Stanek wrote a dissertation about the use of guitar in the
53
“Arpège en glissant le pouce sur les 4 cordes”
54
Dallman, 123.
55
Ibid.,130.
20
opera literature in the 19th century.56 He mentioned that his first intention was to write a dissertation
about the use of classical guitar in the orchestral literature, but the lack of resources led him to
switch his focus to the use of guitar in the operatic repertoire. 57 Stanek analyzed the use of the
guitar in the 19th-century operas from a perspective of the guitarist and conductor. He selected ten
operas from the Romantic era and analyzed them from three perspectives: the guitar in relation to
the libretto; the guitar in relation to the orchestra; the technical aspects of the guitar part. Stanek
points out unbalanced dynamic indications and unidiomatic guitar passages from the selected
repertoire and suggests solutions. For example, Cavatina from the first act of Rossini’s The Barber
of Seville, after a chord of tutti in fortissimo, the guitar arpeggiates groups of sixteenth notes in
pianissimo.58 Stanek says that the guitar should be played louder than piano in order to balance
with the orchestra’s sound. He also mentions that the guitarist sometimes would need to edit or
even omit notes so the passages could be played. 59 Stanek’s research enables us to understand the
composer’s understanding level about the guitar. The most positive point for this research is that
this dissertation opens the door to explore the use of the guitar as a part of the orchestra.
Hector Berlioz’s Treatise on Instrumentation is one of the most significant resources about
guitar technique written by an orchestral music composer.60 Berlioz was well aware of classical
guitar’s technical functions and its nature as a solo instrument and an accompaniment instrument.
In his treatise, Berlioz shows the guitar's open string notes and its notation, which is one octave
56
Mark C. Stanek, "Guitar in the Opera Literature: A Study of the Instrument's use in Opera during the
19th and 20th Centuries" (D.A., Ball State University), 2004.
57
Ibid., 1.
58
Other versions show different dynamic indications. Castil-Blaze edition shows the tutti in forte and guitar in
piano, and Ricordi 1920 version shows the tutti in fortissimo and the guitar in piano. Ibid., 10.
59
Ibid., 59.
60
Hector Berlioz, Richard Strauss, and Theodore Front Treatise on Instrumentation (New York: Dover Publications,
2013).
21
higher than the sounding pitch. He introduces the tonalities that are easily played on the guitar, for
example, the keys that include the guitar's bass open strings (E, A, D). We can also get a glimpse
of the music scene in his lifetime from this chapter. He criticizes composers who write guitar
passages of excessive difficulty, or those that have little music effect or weak sonority. There is
another interesting fact about the guitar strings in his days. He says “the lower three strings are
made of silver wire; the other three of catgut.” These days, the three bass guitar strings are made
of a core of fine nylon covered by copper wire or silver-plated copper. The three treble strings are
made of nylon. The development of the guitar string material has improved the sound projection
and sustain of the guitar and made the tuning more stable. Guitar has very complex fingerings and
some unnoticeable limitations for those who do not know its nature. Berlioz states that
It is almost impossible to write well for the guitar without being able to play the instrument.
However, the majority of composers who employ it do not possess an accurate knowledge
of it.61
His explanation covers not only basic knowledge like the range of the classical guitar, arpeggio
styles and chord progresses but also each technique’s challenge and effectiveness caused by the
instrument’s nature. Berlioz also suggests that composers learn guitar techniques by studying
works of guitarists such as Zanni de Ferranti, Huerta and Sor. The guitar chapter of his treatise
includes fundamental information and suggestion about guitar; however, in the original version,
there is no excerpt from musical works. Later, Richard Strauss, in his modernization of the Berlioz
treatise, added an excerpt from Verdi’s opera “Otello” (no. 54, Act 2) that has a guitar
accompaniment part. Strauss briefly introduces how a guitar could be used with other orchestral
instruments in an opera by showing an orchestral score part. 62 The tonality of the passage in
61
Berlioz, Strauss, Front, 145.
62
Berlioz, Strauss, Front, 148-150.
22
“Othello” is E major, which is one of the easiest keys for guitar since E major allows the guitar to
use two open strings in E. In this passage, all the string instruments and the four-voice choir play
pianissimo. Woodwinds and French horns play harmonic background in piano in quarter and whole
note. There is no dynamic mark for guitar and mandolin. This might suggest that the plucked
instruments be played in forte in order to make a good sound balance. Verdi did not compose a
single guitar piece in his life, but we can see that he was very well aware of the guitar’s character
and its function and he was able to combine this plucked instrument successfully into the complex
orchestral instrumentation.
Berlioz himself employed classical guitar in his operas such as Benvenuto Cellini (1837)
and Béatrice et Bénédict (1862), but unfortunately, he never gave his use of the guitar in his opera
repertoire as an example of instrumentation. I consider Berlioz’s treatise (1844) as an initiation for
the guitar to the orchestral or operatic literature. Even though the introduction of the guitar part in
his treatise is not very long, his precise explanation about guitar techniques still gives an excellent
example for composers who want to compose pieces for guitar. It is very rare to find an
orchestration or an instrumentation method book that explains guitar’s function better than
Berlioz’s treatise.
American composer and conductor Samuel Adler devotes only one page of explanation
about the guitar in his orchestration book. 63 His book introduces rudimentary information about
guitar; its open strings and range with a six-bar passage of Stravinsky’s Tango.64 The passage is
very odd since the guitar part is written in the concert pitch. This is not a good example of a
traditional example of the guitar notation. However, it gives a list of repertoire from the Romantic
63
Samuel Adler, The Study of Orchestration. 3rd ed. (New York: W.W. Norton, 2002).
64
“Tango” (1941) is an orchestral version of his piano solo piece with the same title, composed in 1940.
23
to the Modern era that has significant guitar passages. Even though the list is not annotated, I
believe this list is a worthy example of the use of the guitar, especially for contemporary pieces.
Reflection
Resources related to the guitar and the orchestral and opera literature show the use of the
guitar as an accompaniment instrument and an auxiliary instrument for composition. Studying
Berlioz-related resources illuminated a connection between the guitar and the orchestra. Dallman’s
dissertation does not directly support for my research, but Berlioz’s composition techniques in his
dissertation show how the guitar influenced his orchestral works. Dallman's work has become a
good indicator of how research on the relationship between symphony composers and the guitar
has developed until now. Berlioz’s Treatise gives more explanation about the use of the guitar in
the opera literature. If the resources in the 19th century give a historical background of the
development of the guitar technique, the information in the 20th and 21st century gives us the
advice which can be applied for the practical situation. Stanek’s dissertation enables us to
understand the function of the guitar in the 19th opera, by providing information about the guitar
setting and the use of the microphone in the 21st century.
Resources related to guitar method and technique
Guitarist Pablo Jose Gomez Cano explains how the guitar techniques are interconnected
with various musical, social, and geographical issues. 65 This thesis also clarifies the different
cultural and geographical origins of the techniques. In Chapter 2, the author classifies guitar
65
Pablo Jose Gomez Cano, "Modern Guitar Techniques; a View of History, Convergence of Musical
Traditions and Contemporary Works (A Guide for Composers and Guitarists)." DMA diss., University
of California, 2016. ProQuest (10030082).
24
techniques into four categories; the Flamenco, Latin American, Asian techniques, and American
popular music. The author precisely explains the difference between Spanish rasgueado and Latin
American rasgueado by describing the right-hand movements and providing example passages.
The author also states how the contemporary composers, such as Berio adopted this technique into
his work Sequenza.66 Cano discovers the potential adaptation of the Asian techniques to expand
the technical expressions of the guitar. He states;
The Asian techniques work with the same basics but with a wider variety of possibilities.
They are more complex and embedded in a more profound and structural context. We find
microtonal bendings, melodies created through bending the strings, three-step bendings,
and various combinations with different types of vibrato (through different shapes of
bending).67
Cano provides practical information related to guitar performance through his research. His
dissertation will be a good resource for composers, guitarists, and even for conductors. Cano’s
explanation about contemporary guitar techniques that continue to evolve makes a good
comparison with the techniques from the resources written by Berlioz and Sor. He intends to offer
practical information about guitar technique to guitarists and composers who want to perform or
compose contemporary guitar music.
Hector Quine’s book about guitar technique points out some important issues people often
ignore.68 Quine states that the relaxation observed from a skilled performer does not mean that he
or she is completely relaxed. He states that there are three conditions to become an effective and
relaxed state.69
66
Ibid., 21.
67
Ibid., 31.
68
Hector Quine, Guitar Technique: Intermediate to Advanced (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).
69
Ibid., 5.
25
1. Control of the muscles which have to work independently from those which do not
2. Reserves of strength in excess of that which is needed to perform the task
3. Economy of movement
Another important subject from his book is the finger action. He argues that the plucking action is
comprised of three movements: descend; pause; ascend. However, the author states that the
striking action broadens the possibility of producing more rich expressions such as legato and
sostenuto since the action needs only one preparation.70 Tone production is also discussed in his
book. The classical guitar’s tone color is soft and subtle. Thus conductors and orchestra musicians
have a tendency of missing or ignoring its delicate articulation and phrasing.
Quine provides the process of tone production by explaining the difference between
apoyando71 and tirando,72 and he stresses the importance of combining the physiological and the
tonal aspect to produce the best sound. 73 His explanation of tone production will enable conductors
to have a concrete concept about the classical guitar sound production. Quine’s book includes
Stephen Dodgson’s writing tips for the guitar as an appendix. Stephen Dodgson was not a guitarist;
however, he learned to compose works for guitar by making a left-hand fingerboard combination
chart. Dodgson points out common mistakes which can be committed by the unexperienced non-
guitarist composer and provides some helpful advice. For example, he suggests that novice benefit
the guitar resonance with the open string rather than employing too many notes. 74 The appendix
by Dodgson would be a good resource for non-guitarist composer or conductor to understand the
70
Ibid., 16.
71
A right-hand guitar technique. After plucking the string, the finger stays on the next string.
72
A right-hand guitar technique. After plucking the string, the finger stays in the air.
73
Ibid., 19, 27.
74
Ibid., 89-91.
26
function of the guitar.
Guitarist and composer Abel Carlevaro (1916-2001) wrote a method book which gives a
new insight into the guitar technique.75 Carlevaro explains many technical aspects such as posture
and angle of both hands, expressing his philosophy “maximum effects with minimum efforts.” He
emphasizes the importance of the relaxation while making a left-hand shift. He suggests that the
guitarist make the perpendicular lift while moving the left hand in order to relax the tension.
Guitarist Douglas Niedt mentions that Carlevaro’s left-hand lifting eliminates the friction noise
from the low three strings.76
American guitarist Aaron Shearer’s guitar method book, Learning the Classic Guitar,
provides information regarding the technical accuracy, strength, speed and endurance. 77 In this
book, Shearer suggests that the guitar students use Aim- Directed Movement (ADM) when they
are practicing and performing. ADM is a method of getting rid of confusion and error by
understanding where and how to move before executing the hand movements. The author also
devotes a large amount of time to explanation to nail shaping and tone production by providing
various types of the right-hand fingernails and shaping methods. At the end of the book, Shearer
adds information about Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) which can arise from repetitive bio-
mechanically flawed movement. He explains the primary symptom of RSI and how to overcome
it. He also provides exercises to avoid shoulder pain which is an ongoing challenge to guitarists.
Scott Tennant’s exercise book Pumping Nylon gives useful and practical information and
75
Abel Carlevaro, School of Guitar: Exposition of Instrumental Theory (Escuela De La Guitarra), trans. Jihad
Azkoul and Bartolome Diaz (London: Boosey and Hawkes, 1984).
76
Douglas Niedt, "More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About: GUIDE FINGERS," Douglas Niedt, Guitarist
|Classical Guitar Lessons and Technique, , accessed November 05, 2018, https://douglasniedt.com/.
77
Aaron Shearer and Tom Poore, Learning the Classic Guitar (Pacific, MO: Mel Bay Publications, 1990).
27
guidelines to the reader.78 Tenant reduces the use of professional terminology so that readers can
easily understand the content. The author provides Do’s and Don’ts lists with sketches of the
correct and incorrect positions in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts when readers are applying
his methods to their practice. Tennant’s finger independent exercises are efficient and helpful for
guitarists who want to achieve a high level of technique.
Reflection
Cano’s dissertation classifies guitar technique geographically and gives a good explanation
of the specialized guitar techniques that can be helpful for conductors. Quine suggests the effective
guitar writing skills for non-guitarist composers. These resources expand the possibility of guitar
writing from the idiomatic methods to extended techniques. Fernández and Quine’s resources
show how the approach to the guitar techniques has changed compared with the old school which
mostly depended on the personal experiences. Carlevaro’s method book provides a wide range of
technical issues of the classical guitar with images; however, the context is too professional for
those who do not have a basic knowledge about the classical guitar. Tennant’s guitar method book
simplifies essential technical information about the guitar. Shearer’s book provides crucial and
practical information about the accuracy of the hand movement and velocity of the guitar scale
exercise so that the conductor can understand the instrument’s capacity as a concerto instrument.
Resources related to the concertos for guitar and other instruments
Composing a concerto for guitar has been always a challenging task for non-guitarist
composers. Journalist and critic Lesley Valdes explains the challenge of composing guitar
78
Scott Tennant and Nathaniel Gunod, Pumping Nylon: A Guide to Classical Guitarists Technique
Handbook (Van Nuys: Alfred, 1995).
28
concertos by giving several anecdotes to the reader. 79 According to her article, in the 1960s, Aaron
Copland was asked to compose a piece for guitar and orchestra. However, Copland refused the
commission because of his limited knowledge of the guitar. Valdes also notes that Spanish
composer, Hallfter, had a difficult time composing a guitar concerto. He was not a guitarist, so
corrections from a guitarist made the work possible. Narciso Yepes made some changes and
recorded it; however, the composer was not satisfied with the result and did not allow the piece to
be performed until Andres Segovia suggested that Eliot Fisk revise it in 1985. 80 In a telephone
interview with Valdes, Fisk points out some critical and problematic issues when a non-guitarist
composer creates a guitar concerto. Firstly, some succession of chords were unplayable since the
chords are too thick. Another point is that composers often believe that adding many notes in a
chord would give more volume for guitar, but it often softens the guitar’s sound due to the
complexity of fingerings.81
Since the 1990’s performers and researchers have written guitar concerto-related
dissertations which can be a guideline for composing concertos for guitar. For example, Guitarist
Roger Hudson selected the Concerto in A Major, op.30 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) and the
Concierto del Sur by Manuel Ponce to conduct a comparative analysis. 82 M. Giuliani was a
virtuoso guitarist influenced by the conventions of the early nineteenth century Vienna. On the
other hand, M. Ponce was a Mexican non-guitarist composer influenced by the stylistic freedom
79
Lesley Valdes, "A Guitar Concerto's Special Problems," New York Times (1923-Current File)1987.
http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-
80
Ibid.
81
Ibid.
82
Roger West Hudson, The Orchestration of the Guitar Concerto : A Comparison of the Concerto in A Major, Op.
30, by Mauro Giuliani and the Concierto Del Sol by Manuel Ponce, 1992).
29
of the 20th century and the folk music of his homeland. 83 Thus, a comparison of these two
concertos enables the reader to understand the stylistic difference and the historical evolution.
Hudson’s analytical intention is to uncover both positive and negative points of composing for
guitar and orchestra. He provides a biographical sketch of each composer and analyzes both
concertos in terms of the texture, timber, range, register, articulation, and dynamics. At the end of
the research, Hudson added an appendix that explains the guitar’s special techniques for the reader.
His case study will be a good example for my dissertation in terms of the analysis of the
compositional structure.
Gregory Engstrom’s dissertation is an analysis of Concerto pour Guitare et petit orchestra
by Heitor Villa-Lobos.84 Engstrom analyses each movement of the concerto in terms of melodic,
rhythmic, harmonic and tonal perspective. Engstrom’s research provides a good reference to
scholars who want to study Villa-Lobos' guitar concerto. At the end of his dissertation, he
summarizes Villa Lobos’ composition style and opens the door to further research. Engstrom states
that Villa Lobos had several methods to make the guitar sound audible. Firstly, Villa Lobos
lowered the dynamic level of the orchestra several steps below the guitar and never employed tutti
when the guitar is playing. Secondly, he employed maximum two counter melodies while the
guitar is playing and place the orchestra’s sound below or above the guitar in order not to compete
against each other. Finally, Villa Lobos employed a soft pedal point throughout the movements to
provide an effective accompaniment for guitar which enables the audience to listen to the subtle
83
Hudson, foreword.
84
Gregory Engstrom, "Part 1. Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra (an Original Composition). Part 2. an
Analysis of the Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra by Heitor Villa-Lobos" (Ph.D., Kent State University), .
30
dynamic changes of the guitar.85
Guitarist Wann-Dar Tan introduces Lawrence Weiner’s guitar concerto and presents an
analytical model for approaching contemporary guitar concertos. 86 The author introduces Weiner's
guitar solo works composed before the concerto and explains how the composer successfully
implemented multiple layers into the guitar score by showing passages from the pieces. Tan states
that the concerto repertoire needs fewer multiple layers of the melody or harmony for the guitar
part compared with the solo works since the orchestra often plays contrapuntal textures and
accompaniment parts when the solo guitar is playing. 87 However, being capable of realizing
multiple layers on the guitar is a huge advantage while composing a guitar concerto. Tan talks
about how traditional techniques such as rasgueado have affected Weiner’s guitar concerto by
giving a comparison with Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.88 The research gives a good example
of editing a guitar concerto as well. The author states, “The main criterion in editing is to preserve
and convey the composer’s intention as clearly as possible.” 89 He categorizes the edition subject
into six fields; 1.Tempo change, 2. Octave transposition, 3. Note or chord omission, 4. Chord re-
voicing, 5. Technical substitution, 6. Notation. This dissertation also provides a debate about the
use of amplification for the guitar concerto. Tan says that the composer agreed to use amplification
so the guitar could project its sound against the thick orchestration of his concerto.
Guitarist Vieira’s thesis provides guidelines for non-guitarist composers wishing to write for
85
Ibid., 140.
86
Wann-Dar Tan, Lawrence Weiner's Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra: Analysis, ed. Thomas Johnson, D.M.A.
ed. (United States -- Texas: University of North Texas, 2005).
87
Tan, 37.
88
Ibid.
89
Tan, 46.
31
guitar.90 The author states that the collaboration between composers and performers nowadays has
become more horizontal than the Romantic era and the composer-performer relationship has
become a more important subject.91 His thesis discusses the problematic issues when composers
are not capable of playing the instrument for which they are composing. He asks non-guitarist
composers to create guitar works by receiving feedback from guitarists. Vieira analyses the
problematic issues occurring during the process and observes how composers and performers
interact with one another.
Exploring resources related to concertos for other instruments will expand the scope of my
research, since each instrumentalist focuses on resolving performance issues by explaining the
unique character of their instrument. For instance, wind instrument performers’ research often
focuses on breathing, which can be easily neglected in the research of stringed instrumentalists.
Marimbist Brudvig wrote a dissertation about Danish composer, Anders Koppel’s Concerto for
Marimba and Orchestra (1995) and solo marimba work P.S. to a concerto (1995).92 His research
focuses on providing guidelines which are helpful to resolve the problematic performance issues
in the concerto. The author, himself a marimbist, introduces passage with multiple problems and
provides suggestions so the performer could execute the challenging passages with effective efforts.
For example, the author advises how to execute a fast high-register passage in triplets at
fortissimo.93 Brudvig mentions that playing successive triplets at a fast tempo is a challenge for
90
Márlou Peruzzolo Vieira, "The Collaborative Process from the Performer's Perspective: A Case Study of Non-
Guitarist Composers" (Ph.D., Universidade de Aveiro, 2017).
91
Ibid., 3.
92
Robert Ian Brudvig, "A Performer’s Guide to the Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra and “P.S. to a Concerto”
by Anders Koppel" (D.M.A., The University of Arizona, 2002).
93
Brudvig, 45.
32
marimba players. He suggests that the player group the four-measure pattern in two measure
phrases and articulate only the essential notes in order to clearly execute the passage. Brudvig also
emphasises the importance of the coordination with the orchestra in terms of the tempo. He
suggested that the performer could make a slight tempo change in order to keep the flow of the
music.94 The dissertation also discusses the unification of articulations between the solo instrument
and the orchestra.95 Brudvig points out some articulation discrepancies between the woodwinds
and the solo marimba and suggests to add slurs in order to unify the articulation. His research is a
good resource that explains how the orchestra and solo instrument could be analysed from a bird’s
eye view perspective.
Flautist Whitter provides a useful performance guide of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Flute
96
Concerto. Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b.1939) is an American composer whose works are
internationally performed. Whitter’s dissertation consists of four chapters; biographical
information of the composer, an analysis of the piece, a performance guide and the style of the
concerto. The second chapter analyses the concerto in terms of melody, form, rhythm, harmony,
and sound. This is a very traditional analytical style which is found in other dissertations or
research papers. However, in the third chapter, the performance guide, provides a very practical
and necessary insight for performers. Whitter provides a measure-by-measure guide for each
movement only a flute expert could give. The most significant part of this dissertation is the
appendix B. The appendix indicates the important passages and gives advice regarding breathing,
tone, dynamics, tempo, articulation, fingerings and other notable information that is not classified
94
Ibid.
95
Ibid., 50.
96
Marcia Kay Whitter, "The Ellen Zwilich Flute Concerto from a Performer's Perspective: Analysis, Performance
Guide, Composer, and Style.”(D.M.A., diss,. University of Oregon, 1995).
33
into the previous six categories. Even though Whitter’s research is not directly related to the guitar
concerto, her measure-by-measure analytic methodology is very helpful to the development of a
well-organized research structure.
Trumpeter James Meyer Lind analyzes two trumpet concertos by Anthony Plog from a
performer’s perspective.97 The first four chapters of Lind's research provide general information
such as the composer’s bio, histological information and the thematic organization of the concerto.
However, in the fifth chapter, the author gives general recommendations that help the performer
to practice or perform the pieces. Lind sorts Plog’s compositional characters into three categories;
1. the use of chromaticism, 2. the use of complex rhythms and mixed meter; and 3. thematic ideas
and motivic ideas related to the opening theme. 98 Based on this characteristic approach, the
research provides practical suggestions for each different case. Lind points out challenging
passages of the concertos and gives helpful advice such as using a metronome and marking upbeats
and downbeats on the score. Although this study is about the trumpet concertos, it presents many
useful tools that can be applied to the analysis and execution of guitar concertos from a performer’s
or conductor’s perspective. For example, Lind explains the technical difficulties of the trumpet by
showing passages and provides suggestions which can clean up the challenges from the perspective
of the trumpeter. He includes interviews with the composer and a few soloists, so the reader can
view the composition from various points of view. However, there is no comparison with the
orchestra part. Therefore, it is difficult to analyze the whole by looking at the combination of the
orchestra and the solo instrument.
97
James Meyer Lind, "The Trumpet Concertos of Anthony Plog: A Performer's Guide" (D.M.A., diss,. University of
North Texas, 2012), . http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-
98
Lind, 41.
34
Harpist Rachel Green’s dissertation about Alberto Ginastera's Harp Concerto, Op. 25
includes a lot of guitar-related information. 99 In her dissertation, Green states that Ginastera used
guitar techniques such as rasgueado, tambura and percussion skills in his harp concerto to make
an Argentine folk music atmosphere. For example, he used the open string sound of the guitar (E-
A-D-G-B-E) at the opening of the cadenza. This open string chord also appears in his only guitar
composition, Sonata for guitar, Op.47. Green states that Ginastera imitated rasgueado of the guitar
by playing fast glissando in this concerto. She mentions that Spanish harpist and composer Carlos
Salzedo’s used a similar technique called “Gushing Chords,” but Ginastera asked the harpist to use
fingernails to make the sound more like the guitar. 100
Harpist Phuttaraksa Amnirdratana’s dissertation about Reinhold Glière's Concerto for Harp
and Orchestra, op.74 gives another good example of a performer’s guide. 101 Amnirdratana
effectively classifies the theoretical analysis and the performance guide so that the readers can
apply the information to the real situation. Her dissertation is comprised of an introduction which
includes a brief development of the harp, a biography of the composer, Reinhold Glière, the history
of the concerto, and musical analysis and performance guide of each movement. In her dissertation,
Amnirdratana compares three different editions to mainly discuss the pedal issues. She points out
some errors in the harp parts, and the rest of the differences are mostly related to the musical
99
Rachel Kay Green, “Alberto Ginastera's Harp Concerto, Op. 25: A Synthesis of Argentine Nationalism and
Neo-Expressionism.” (DMA diss., University of Arizona, 2017).
http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1947046253?accountid=14771
100
Ibid., 22, 24.
101
Phuttaraksa Amnirdratana, "Reinhold Gliere's Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in E-flat major op.74: An
analysis and performance guide." (DMA diss., University of Miami, 2012). (Order No. 3549379). Available
from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1283387481). Retrieved from
http://myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1283387481?accountid=14771
35
interpretations. However, here again, there is no discussion related to the orchestra parts and score.
Reflection
Concerto-related resources can be classified into theoretical information and practical
information. Most guitar concerto resources focus on analysing theoretical aspects such as the
structure, harmony, style and the texture. For example, Hudson’s dissertation focuses on
comparing two different guitar concertos mainly in terms of the orchestration. 102 Engstrom’s
dissertation about Villa-Lobos’ Concerto pour Guitare et petit orchestra shows a more precise
analysis than Hudson’s research in terms of melodic, rhythmic, harmonic and tonal perspective.
Engstrom also mentions the balance of the volume between the guitar and the orchestra; however,
he does not provide a concrete way to balance the volume of the guitar and the orchestra. Boyd's
dissertation shows some interesting points such as the introduction and explanation of the use of
the distinctive percussion instruments; however, his research is mostly an array of historical facts
about Torroba’s guitar concertos. Tan and Vieira’s research treats more useful subjects for my
research project. Tan provides a good example of editing challenging passages of the concerto
such as omissions, octave changes so the concerto can be performed more efficiently. 103
Interestingly, many helpful suggestions were found in the concerto literature for other instrument.
Brudvig provides advice from his experience as a marimbist by explaining the
charactristics of the marimba which conductors might not know about. He also emphasizes the
importance of shaping motives to unify the marimba solo and the orchestra. 104 Brudvig always
keeps an eye on the orchestral score to create a good balance as a whole. Whitter’s well-organized
102
Hudson, The Orchestration of the Guitar Concerto, 1992.
103
Tan, 45-51.
104
Brudvig, 141.
36
performance guide is a useful tip for writing a conductor’s guide. Lind also suggests practical
advice such as using a metronome while practising difficult passages and syncopations to the
trumpet soloist but not having information about the orchestra lessens the value for my research
model. Harpists Rachel Green and Phuttaraksa Amnirdratana’s dissertations about the harp
concerto will expand the scope of my research regarding methodology. Green’s research provides
the relationship between the harp and guitar in terms of the musical subject and historical
background. Amnirdratana’s dissertation gives more idea about the organization of the content.
Her explanation and organization of the content are very clear and direct so even the reader is not
an expert of the harp could understand the content.
Resources related to the conductor
In his book, The orchestral conductor: the theory of his art, Berlioz sharply criticizes
conductors who commit common mistakes such as having passion without a musical idea on the
podium, giving inappropriate tempi to the ensemble, and demonstrating unclear conducting skills
during rehearsals and concerts. 105 He clearly explains not only the technical aspects of conducting
such as beating complicated rhythms and treating fermatas, but also psychological aspects such as
inspiring the orchestra musically. In this book, Berlioz analyses each instrument’s tendency and
problematic issues based on his musical experience. He also emphasizes the unity of the sound
that is a result of the well-organized rehearsal and performance by a well-trained conductor.
Richard Wagner gives his philosophy about conducting through his book Wagner on
Conducting. 106 He compared the performance of the Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 by the
Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Paris conservatoire and emphasized the
105
Hector Berlioz, The Orchestral Conductor; Theory of His Art (New York: C. Fischer, 1902).
106
Richard Wagner, Wagner on Conducting, ed. Edward Dannreuther (New York: Dover Publications, 1989).
37
importance of singing the melody. He criticized the interpretation of the Gewandhaus Orchestra
and later, in 1839, he had a chance to attend a rehearsal of the Orchestra of the Conservatoire in
Paris rehearsing Beethoven’s Symphony no.9. He states that
The scales fell from my eyes; I came to understand the value of correct execution and the
secret of a good performance. The orchestra had learnt to look for Beethoven’s melody in
every bar – that melody which the worthy Leipzig had failed to discover; and the orchestra
sang that melody. This was the secret.107
Wagner highly praised the performance of the Orchestra of the Conservatoire in Paris since the
orchestra played the challenging melody line as written. He emphasized the importance of
eliminating frustrating irregularities caused by bow and string changes in order to shape the
melody line. Wagner argues that sustaining tone with equal power is the foundation of all
expression. On the other hand, he claims that the string players should assimilate the full toned
piano of the best woodwind instrument and try to copy the human voice. 108 Wagner is famed for
his thick orchestration and rich harmony, but his book shows how he was sensitive about singing
the melody and the quality of the sound. Sustaining tone with equal power might be a trend of the
expression in the 19th century in Germany or his personal perspective of the sound. However, I
believe that a natural decay of the sound is the basis of the expression since holding a note with
equal power needs more intentional efforts and used for special occasions. Wagner was not a great
pianist, but had a vast knowledge of the orchestral instruments. It is interesting to compare Berlioz
and Wagner since their musical background has many points of commonality. Both of them were
composers, critics and conductors. They stress the importance of a good tempo which enables the
orchestra to express the composer’s musical intention and clear technical executions such as
107
Ibid., 15.
108
Ibid., 32-33.
38
dealing with fermatas and articulations.
Conductor Felix Weingartner presents a balanced opinion on the authority of a conductor
and the intention of the original composer through his book, On Conducting.109 In his book, he
points out two important roles of a conductor; being capable of making a fine balance of the
orchestra itself and realizing the composer’s intention such as choosing a right tempo, articulation,
and rubato while performing a piece. He highly praised Hans von Bülow’s musical ability of
making a well-balanced orchestra which was hard to find in German conductors at that time.
However, Weingartner criticizes Bülow’s tempo rubato and sudden tempo changes in Beethoven’s
Symphony no.9 and Bizet’s Carmen which ruined the original intention of the composers. 110
Weingartner classifies his thought about the tempo and rhythm as follows.
I would here insert a rule, the observance of which I hold to be indispensable for a right
apprehension of the limits of the tempo: No slow tempo must be so slow that the melody
of the piece is not yet recognisable, and no fast tempo so fast that the melody is no longer
recognisable. The rhythmic distortions to which I have referred were in no way justified
by any marks of the composer, but always originated with the conductor. 111
Weingartner claims not only the importance of respecting the intention of the composer
by executing an appropriate tempo and articulation but also being capable of understanding the
meaning behind the notes.112 Even though his book does not have direct information on concertos,
his balanced philosophy about conducting and the description of the musical scene in Germany
and France book enable the reader to understand the historical context of conducting.
Conductor and composer Jerry Donald Kracht provides a guide for some stylistic
performance problems by selecting orchestral pieces from the Baroque, Romantic and the Modern
109
Felix Weingartner, On Conducting, ed. Ernest Newman (London: Breitkopf & Hartel, 1906).
110
Ibid., 20-24.
111
Ibid., 28-29.
112
Ibid., 43
39
era. 113 The research selected Handel’s Concerto Grosso No.11 Op.6, Webern’s Five Pieces for
Orchestra Op.10, Schumann’s Symphony no.4 D minor Op.120 for the examples and gives a
precise analysis of each piece. The first chapter analyses Handel’s Concerto Grosso and mainly
discusses Baroque interpretations such as notations, trills, accidentals, and various dotted rhythms
which have little connection with the guitar-related subject. The second chapter discusses
interesting subjects about Webern’s Five Pieces for Orchestra. In this chapter, Kracht explains
mental subdivision, which helps the conductor maintain a steady tempo. An example of the mental
subdivision is to think the sixteenth note while conducting a very slow passage in quarter pulse. 114
This work includes the guitar and other non-standard orchestral instruments such as harmonium,
celesta, and mandolin which give extra tone colors to the orchestration.
Kracht does not mention each instrument’s character, but he does have some helpful
resources and ideas for my research. For example, the author talks about the dynamic level of this
piece which ranges from pppp to fff. The author gives a practical suggestion to make a good
dynamic range as follows.
Ideally, the performer should probably establish in rehearsal the “barely audible” level of
sound and then, proceeding from that point, add to the sound indiscernible increments
until all of the required dynamic levels have been defined. 115
Gunther Schuller’s book The Compleat Conductor provides information that cannot be
found in resources written by guitarists or other instrumentalists. 116 Schuller’s book consists of
113
Jerry Donald Kracht, "Some Stylistic Problems in the Performance of Selected Orchestral Literature from the
Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Centuries: An Essay Together with a Comprehensive Project in Orchestral
Performance" DMA thesis, The University of Iowa, 1974).
114
Ibid., 65-74.
115
Ibid., 72.
116
Gunther Schuller, The Compleat Conductor (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997).
40
three parts; a philosophy of conducting, a history of conducting and analyses of famous symphony
works in the 19th century. He states that the performer can interpret a dynamic or articulation in
various ways. For example, he points out that a p can be interpreted in different ways depending
on the passage or piece.117 He gives a clear explanation of distinction by giving an example of sf.
Take sf, for example: there are many – I am tempted to say – dozens of different sf’s. As
one tiny example I offer the m.128 sf in the first movement of Beethoven’s Seventh
Symphony (and its parallel, m.340). This sf can be performed in many different ways,
with different feelings and emphases, all of them within the realm – the species – of sf.
For example, one can give this sf a very hard-hitting effect with a strong, incisive attack
in the strings (if it were in the winds, with a strong, incisively tongued attack). Or, one can
give this sf a deeply expressive, weighty feeling, infinitesimally delayed. Or, it can be
warm, rich singing sf, as one can see Carlos Kleiber elicit from the Concertgebouw
Orchestra in a film produced by German Unitel television. 118
Schuller’s interpretation about articulations and dynamic will be helpful when giving precise
instructions to the orchestra musicians at guitar concerto rehearsals. The conductor’s good ear
often limited to listen to wrong notes, but Schuller stresses that a conductor should have seven
different ears; for harmony, pitch and intonation, dynamics, rhythm and articulation, balance and
orchestrational aspects and line and continuity.119 His book also gives a basic, but a very important
string technique- bowing. He shows how a bowing can change the phrase by giving short passage
examples. He warns of the danger of using loud, full bow playing which is commonly happening
in American orchestras. 120 Making a good sound balance is a crucial point of performing or
rehearsing the guitar concerto, and Schuller’s advice about the string technique will be an
important part of my dissertation. In the third part, the author analyses Beethoven’s Symphony no.5
and no.7, Brahms’ Symphony no.1 and no.4, Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel, Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe
117
Ibid., 15.
118
Ibid., 16.
119
Ibid., 17-18.
120
Ibid., 29.
41
Second Suite, Schumann’s Symphony no.2 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no.6 by listening to over
400 recordings. He made charts of each symphony’s important passages by comparing various
conductors’ interpretations and the score. His research method gives me a possibility of analysing
recordings of Concierto de Aranjuez in order to extract crucial comparisons between the score and
recordings.
Erich Leinsdorf wrote a book about the relationship between the composer and his or her
music and the performer – especially the conductor. The author emphases the importance of
knowing the score, composer and his or her intention, musical tradition, right tempo, and the
conductor’s role.121 Even though his book was not written only for the conductor, there are many
aspects which could be crucial and useful for my research. For example, he points out that solo
concertos should be treated as important as symphonies and overtures. He states that many soloists
were surprised when they were asked to attend two rehearsals for the concert. 122 As Schuller
mentioned the various ways of expressing the dynamic and accent, Leinsdorf also gives an
important perspective of treating folk and regional traditions in the score. He especially mentions
the Spanish folk rhythm;
Spanish dances always present a problem to musicians unacquainted with national

traditions, particularly if castanets are called for. Percussionists, no matter how excellent
in other respects, are untrained in the playing of hand castanets. They rest the instrument
on the knee, with the result that the intended effect is lost, and what emerges sounds stiff
and inflexible. Spanish dance rhythms are matched in intricacy by those of many other
nationalities, and the problem is not even confined to dances. Rhythms built on
peculiarities of language are equally hard to transcribe. In recent times the effort of
“nationalistic” composers to revive their countries’ folk music have encountered many
difficulties.123
121
Erich Leinsdorf, The Composers Advocate: A Radical Orthodoxy for Musicians (London: Yale University Press,
1981).
122
Ibid., 3.
123
Ibid., 78.
42
His approach to folk music rhythms is useful to analyse and perform other folk-music related
works. For example, the thematic motive at the beginning of the 1 st movement of Concierto de
Aranjuez consists of an eighth note followed by two sixteenth note and another eighth note. The
two sixteenth notes in the middle of the motive are often executed in a shortened way.
Reflection
Richard Wagner and Felix Weingartner’s books enable us to understand the role of the
conductor and musical scene in Europe in the 19th century. Especially, Weingartner wrote his book,
On Conducting after Wagner’s book, so the reader can see the development of the conductor’s role
chronologically. Kraft’s idea is about resolving problematic issues in stylistic performance. His
approach to the dynamic division will be helpful to organize a guitar concerto’s performance since
the dynamic range of the guitar is narrower than the instruments in the orchestra. Schuller and
Leinsdorf’s books provide information that was not available in the resources written by the
instrumentalists and the composer. Both of them give practical advice on the role of the conductor
through a keen analysis of the score which explores the core issues of music making. Schuller
mostly analyses major symphony works, not concertos; however, his methodology gives an
effective guide to obtain concrete evidence for concerto-related research. (Listening to the
recordings and making charts to compare them) Leinsdorf presents ideas to help analyze the folk
influence of the guitar concerto. Listening to the different versions of Concierto de Aranjuez will
enable to decode the influence of the folk and regional traditions in the piece. Research based on
linguistic influences might be helpful to support this subject.
Conclusion
Having read five kinds of resources gives me a clear direction for my research. The three
subjects, the guitar, conductor, and concertos seem to have little in common, but I have realized
that it is possible to write a dissertation on a new topic that links to the existing resources while
exploring these three themes. Even though my research criteria will be limited to the study of
43
Concierto de Aranjuez from a perspective of the conductor, my effort will merely be a touchstone
of future research on guitar concertos in a perspective of the conductor and non-guitarist musicians.
My dissertation will be an opportunity for the guitar to participate more actively in orchestral music
history.
44
Chapter 3
Analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez: Movement 1
Instrumentation
2 2 2 2 – 2 2 0 0 – strs – guitar solo

(second flute covers piccolo part, and second oboe plays English horn)
First movement – Allegro con spirito
Key: D major
Time Signature: 6/8
Tempo: . = 88
Structure: Sonata form
The structure of the first movement is sonata form including an introduction, a single exposition,
development, recapitulation, and a coda.
Measure numbers will indicated in a simple way by using + and – signs. 124 Important themes and
motives in the first movement are named as follows :
Figure 3.1 Important themes of the first movement
Opening theme: Pirulero theme:
Main theme: Second theme:
Rodrigo CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ, miniature score Copyright © 1957 Joaquin Rodrigo Copyright © renewed
Sole agents for the world excluding Spain: Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG and Ernst Eulenburg & Co. GmbH
All Right Reserved. Used by permission of European American Music Distributors Company, sole Canadian and U.S. agent for
Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG and Ernst Eulenburg & Co. GmbH
124
For examples, two measures before rehearsal number one will be described as ①-2, and three measures after
rehearsal number 2 as ②-3.
45
Table 3.1 Structure of the movement 1

M. Number Section Instrumentation mm
m.1 - ②-1 Introduction 43
mm.1-②-1 Guitar’s Opening Theme, Guitar’s Pirulero Theme, gt/cb,gt/ww+low
Strings’ Opening Theme strs, strs only
② to ⑩ Exposition 71
② to ④-1 Main Theme by ob & 1st vn. tutti
Pirulero Theme by Str. Opening theme motive by WW & brass
④ to ⑥+4 Ornamented Main Theme by guitar. gt/ fl, 1st vn
Counter punctual section1: gt, 1st vn and horns gt+ tutti
Guitar’s rasgueado & Strs accompaniment gt/ strs
5a⑥ to ⑩-1 2nd theme by Guitar / 1st bassoon gt/bsn
Counter punctual section 2: gt, 1st vn ww, and horns gt/1st vn,hn,ww
Guitar’s rasgueado & Strs accompaniment gt/str
2nd theme by Guitar/ 1st bassoon gt/bsn
Counter punctual section 3: gt, 1st vn ww, and horns gt/1st vn,hn,ww
Guitar’s rasgueado & scale / Strs accompaniment gt/strs
⑩ to ⑯-1 Development 51
⑩ to ⑮-4 Opening theme in A minor by str strs/fl
Opening theme in A Major by guitar gt/1st vn
Guitar’s scale and clar solo. Horn and oboe’s countermelody gt, cl/ ww,hn,strs
3b⑮ to ⑯-1 Orchestra’s tutti with guitar’s ascending scales tutti +gt
⑯ to ㉒-1 Recapitulation 54
⑯ to ⑱-1 Main Theme by ob & 1st vn ob+1st vn/ tutti
Main Theme by Guitar gt solo
Counter punctual section1: gt, 1st vn and ww gt/1st vn,ww
Guitar’s rasgueado & Strs accompaniment gt/str
⑱ to ㉒-1 2nd theme by clar /gt, 1st cl/gt
Counter punctual section1: gt, 1st vn and ww gt/1st vn,ww
Guitar’s rasgueado & Strs accompaniment gt/ str
2nd theme by Guitar/ 1st bassoon gt/ bsn
Counter punctual section 3: gt, 1st vn ww, and horns gt/1st vn,ww,hn
Guitar’s rasgueado & scale / Strs accompaniment
㉒ to m.243 Coda 24
㉒ to ㉓-1 Variation of the opening theme / Pirulero Theme tutti
㉓ to ㉔+4 Rasgueado-like tutti and guitar’s response tutti & gt solo
㉔+5-m.243 Pirulero Theme by guitar, bsn & tpt and opening theme by str gt/bsn,trp str
and guitar with bsn
46
Theoretical Analysis and Conductor’s Guide
Guitarist Graham Wade conducted an analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez in his book,
Joaquín Rodrigo and the Concierto de Aranjuez.125 I will follow his explanation of the structure
regarding the harmony and melody development and will add analysis from the perspective of a
conductor.
3.1 Introduction: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-43)
3.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25)
The first movement begins with the guitar’s rasgueado accompanied by a tonic pedal- point
from the double basses. The guitar solo makes a steady crescendo from pp to ff until m.13, and the
woodwinds come in at m.19 by playing a part of the first thematic motive. The first bassoon
emphasizes the guitar’s eighth-note staccatos by doubling the rhythm. In his dissertation,
Rodriguez states that the melody of the guitar from mm.22-24 (Example 3.3) are similar with a
part of the Spanish folk song for children Anton Pirulero.126
Figure 3.2 Excerpt of Anton Pirulero
Source: John David Quijano Rodriguez, “Análisis y adaptación del Concierto de Aranjuez para guitarra
solista y dos guitarras acompañantes.” (BA thesis, Colombia Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, 2013):10.
https://repository.javeriana.edu.co/handle/10554/11717
125
Graham Wade, Joaquin Rodrigo and the Concierto de Aranjuez (Leeds: Mayflower Enterprises, 1985).
126
Rodriguez, 10.
47
At ①, the strings without the bass section plays the exact passage of the guitar at the introduction
(mm.1-18) which is connected to the exposition at ②.
3.1.2 Conductor’s guide: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25)
The orchestration in the introduction is comprised of only the guitar solo and the pedal tone
in D of the bass in octave. The sound balance is crucial since pianissimo in the guitar is not equal
to pianissimo in the bass. Having two basses hold this passage in piano staggering the bowings
will produce a well-balanced sound. Some conductors add a crescendo from m.10 to 13, 14 (until
mf) and a decrescendo to p at m.16 in the bass part. 127 However, Rodrigo did not make any
dynamic change to the bass part. From the beginning, the conductor needs to mark passive
downbeats for each bar and give a light ictus with breath on the second beat of m.18 to invite the
woodwind tutti.
Example 3.1 Mvt I, Pedal tone of the bass, mm 4-6
127
Joaquin Rodrigo, Concierto de Aranjuez bass part.
https://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/artifact/b5e4af7f-7bde-47c4-beaf-b8a511c58f33-0.1
48
At m.19, the woodwinds come in pp, but the low register of the bassoon should be carefully
executed to create a good sound balance. On the second beat of m.22, the cello and bass part have
p, but there is no such dynamic indication in the score. It would be better to add p to the score here
to balance the dynamics of the phrase.
Example 3.2 Mvt I, Woodwinds entrance, mm.19-22
In order to give a clear cue to the strings on the first beat of ①, the conductor should give a clean
anacrusis when the guitar plays the C# note at m.25.

49
Example 3.3 Mvt I, Important anacrusis, mm 23-25
3.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ① to ② (mm.26-43)
The strings, with exception of the bass section, start playing the thematic rhythm with
spiccato in ppp. The dynamic goes to ff at m.38 and goes back to pp at bar 41 and the strings
gently bring the main theme played by the first oboe and the first violins.
3.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ① to ② (mm.26-43)
This pianississimo at the beginning should be played on the upper part of the bow with a
percussive spiccato in order to maintain a guitar-like sound with a soft dynamic, maintaining the
beating pattern. It is obvious that the conductor conducts the entire passage mainly in two; however,
there are many hemiolas grouped in three quarters. Inexperienced musicians often speed up these
hemiola passages and make an early crescendo. (There are nine bars of crescendo from ppp to ff).
Kracht suggests that clear mental subdivision be made when conducting a piece with a steady
tempo.128 Additionally, this mental subdivision can be used to maintain a constant tempo in the
hemiola passages. When the conductor conducts the hemiolas such as in m.27 and m. 30, the
128
Kracht, 1974.
50
conducting pattern should be grounded in order to maintain a constant tempo, as orchestras often
tend to speed up these hemiola passages. At ②, the conductor should give a cue to the bass section
which has a 19- bar rest.
Figure 3. 3 Hemiola in 6/8
Example 3.4 Mvt I, Entrance of the strings, mm.27-31
3.2 Exposition (mm. 44-114)
3.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ② to ④ -1 (m.44-60)
At ②,(m. 44) the first oboe and first violins start playing the first theme and the second
violins, the violas and the cellos play the thematic motive as accompaniment in D Major which is
the tonic key of this movement. The first tutti appears at ③, (m.54) to maximize the musical
tension before the entrance of the guitar solo at ④ (m. 61).

51
Example 3.5 Mvt I, First theme by the oboe and first violins, mm 45-47
3.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ② to ④-1 (mm.44-60)
The double bass enters on the first beat of ② after 24 bars of rest. It is important to pay
attention to the bass players before giving a cue. There is no dynamic indication for the bass in the
score; however, according to the part, the dynamic is shown as pp. The accompaniment mm.46,
49 and 52 are better to be conducted in three to make a clear articulation and tempo. At ③, the
French horns should emphasize each note on the beat in order to shape the melody. The second
beat of ③+2, the unison of the bassoons and the basses should not be overpowering in order to
listen to the sound of the guitar.
Example 3.6 Mvt I, First theme entrance and bass pizzicato, mm 41-45
52
Example 3.7 Mvt I, French horns, mm 53- 56
The conductor should pay attention to ff in the trumpets, which is often overpowering. From the
second beat of ③+2(m.55), the bassoons, basses, and guitar play the descending motive in unison.
There is no dynamic for the bass in the score; however, the bass part shows a dynamic of f. As the
bassoons play the motive in ff in a very low register, if the music were to be performed as written,
the bassoon and horns would be overpowered, and the audience would not be able to hear the
guitar. At ④-3 (mm. 58-59), a crescendo sign is missing for the viola and cello and ④-1 (m.60),
the violas and cellos should make a diminuendo from ff to pp within a bar and should make a clear
sixteenth descending slurred scale which is often not clear. The conductor should give a strong
and clear downbeat on the first beat of bar 60 in order to produce an impeccable unison.
Example 3.8 Mvt I, Viola, cello and bass, mm 57-61
53
3.2.3 Theoretical Analysis: ④ to ⑥+4 (mm.61-82)
At ④, the guitar plays the first theme with embellishments, and the flutes and the 1 st
violins accompany the solo guitar in pp. At ⑤-2, (m.71) the woodwinds echo the motive of the
guitar solo in f, and when the guitar plays the sixteenth note scale, the woodwinds switch the
dynamic immediately to pp. At ⑥, (m.79) the strings play a four-bar accompaniment in f to
prepare the entrance of the second theme played by the guitar. The first bassoon accompanies the
birdsong-like second theme in the middle and low register making a beautiful colour contrast with
the guitar.
3.2.4 Conductor’s Guide: ④ to 4a⑥+4 (mm.61-82)
There is a discrepancy between the score and the bass part at ④ (m.61). In the score, pp
in the bass section is missing. On the second beat of ⑤, the first horn enters in mf in the score;
however, this dynamic is missing in the part. We could possibly assume that the dynamics of this
passage is pianissimo by observing the repeated passage at ⑦ (m.89). At m.75, the dynamic of
the horns is ppp which is very challenging for the horns to produce, but necessary. While the horns
are holding the tied dotted half notes, the solo guitar executes scales. In order to make the guitar
sound audible, it is crucial to control the dynamic of the horns. On the second beat of ⑤, the first
violins play a thirty-second scale with a quick crescendo and diminuendo in a beat and arrive pp
on the first beat of the m.74. However, the first violin section often plays this passage in mf without
diminuendo due to the nature of the fast ascending scale. At ⑥, the strings play trilled quarters
slurred with a sixteenth note in forte. At the same time, the guitar plays dotted quarter notes. It is
crucial that the strings pull back on the dynamic right after they play each note so that the orchestra
and the audience can hear the guitar.

54
Example 3.8 Mvt I, French horn 1, mm 72-76
3.2.5 Theoretical Analysis: 5a⑥ to 1b⑩ (mm. 83-114)
At m.82, the second theme is played by the guitar. In the traditional sonata form, the second
theme is often played in the dominant key; however, in this movement, it appears in D Major, the
tonic of the movment. At ⑦, (m.89) the element from mm.73-80 reappears in a condensed version
and the dominant appears at m 91 ponctuated by a bass pizzicato of A. The second theme returns
in F major third measure of ⑧, (m.97) and the theme brings the passage in Db Major which
transforms itself to E Major (6b⑩, m.109). The solo guitar plays a brilliant rasgueado and scale
forming a bridge to the development in A minor (Example 3.10).
Example 3.9 Mvt I, Second theme by the guitar, mm 83-87
Rodrigo CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ, guitar solo and piano reduction Copyright © 1957 Joaquin Rodrigo Copyright © renewed
Sole agents for the world excluding Spain: Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG
Schott Music GmbH & Co. KG
Conductor’s Guide: ⑥+5 to ⑩-1 (mm. 83-114)
At m.85, there is a discrepancy between the score and the guitar part. The first two bass
notes of the guitar should be changed from D to E. The eighth notes of the first bassoon should be
played with light staccatos in order to balance the guitar solo without overpowering it.
55
Example 3.10 Mvt I, Guitar and bassoon I, mm 82-85
At ⑨, the dynamic of the first horn elevates one step higher: pp to p and ppp to pp
compared with the previous passage at ⑦. At mm.110-112, each accented string eighth note
section should be played staccato in order to hear each first notes of the guitar scale. At m.112,
guitar soloists sometimes pull back the tempo slightly to adjust for fingering; however, the passage
from the second beat of the m.113 until the end of the descending scale, the melody is played in a
straightforward manner since the movements required of the left hand are natural.
Example 3.11 Mvt I, Guitar’s scale, mm 109-113
56
3.3 Development: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165)
3.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165)
The upper strings play the opening motive in the introduction in A minor in pp, and the
cello solo plays a minorized main theme. The first flute decorates this passage with a sixteenth
descending scale in the low register, and the cello solo and the strings bring the guitar in A major
at ⑪ (m.126).
Example 3.12 Mvt I, Cello solo, mm 117-119
The guitar solo plays the thematic motive in rasgueado and suddenly changes the key into
A minor and starts executing a brilliant scale.
Example 3.13 Mvt I, Guitar solo, mm 126-128
In the middle of the scale, ⑫+5 (m.138), the first clarinet comes in with a lyrical
countermelody while the first flute and piccolo are executing the thematic motive. Graham Wade
states that the melody of the clarinet comes from a typical Spanish folk music tune. 129 At ⑬
(m.143), the solo guitar strums rasgueado in Ab major and on the second beat of the bar, the first
129
Wade, 31.
57
oboe intervenes by singing the first theme in A major. Two bars later, the first bassoon doubles
the melody of the oboe, and ⑭-5 (m.147), the A major turns into B major with the solo guitar’s
strumming. At ⑭-2 (m.150), the guitar plays the thematic motive in B minor, and the woodwinds
and trumpets punctuate the chord in eighth notes to strengthen the accent of the guitar scale. ⑮-4
(m.156), the guitar and the orchestra start playing a descending scale in tutti from f to fff and move
on to the recapitulation.
3.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165)
The passage from mm.115-125 is very often overpowering. The strings play the thematic
motive in pp, and the melody of the flute is ppp. The cello solo’s dynamic is only p with espressivo;
however, most cellists play this passage in mf to f. It is rare that one can hear the harmonics of the
guitar at m.119, m.122, and m.124. Observing the printed dynamics will ensure the coherent
dynamic progress. The real forte passage begins at m.156. Thus, it is important to keep the
dynamics as written from mm. 114-125. At ⑪, the conductor should encourage the cello soloist
to hold the full value of the dotted half note since other string sections play only an eighth note on
the first beat. At m.129, the dynamic of the guitar is mf, but in reality, the soloist often plays this
passage more than f so that the guitar sound can be heard. The tutti in f at m.134 and m.136 should
be played in light and short staccato in order to punctuate the guitar solo without overshadowing
the melody of the guitar.
At m.138, the first clarinet plays a countermelody starting with an anacrusis. The melody
is lyrical, but the clarinet should play it in a straightforward manner since there is no rubato in the
scale played by the guitar. The conductor needs to give a clear cue to the bass section which has
been inactive for 25 bars. The orchestra should keep pp until m.147 except for the second beat of
the first violin at m.147. At m.149, even though there is no diminuendo, the strings should make
58
an immediate diminuendo after playing the first note in order to allow the low register of the guitar
melody to be audible.
Example 3.14 Mvt I, Tutti, mm 146-148
At m.156,158, and 160, the clarinets, bassoons, horns, and trumpets do not have
diminuendos. However, it appears that adding diminuendos for these instruments enhances the
homogeneity of the orchestra’s dynamics. At m.162, the bassoons, horns, and trumpets have a
diminuendo mark which is reasonable. At m.217, the guitar has to make a huge shift to play an
ascending scale, so there might be a slight tempo change here. However, from the second beat of
the m.218, the tempo of the scale becomes stable since the left hand movements become idiomatic
once again.
59
Example 3.15 Mvt I, Tutti, mm 156-159
3.4 Recapitulation: ⑯ to ㉒-1(mm.166-219)
3.4.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219)
At ⑯ (m.166), the recapitulation starts with a shortened first theme in D Major, played by
the first violins and oboes. The guitar solo enters on the second beat of m.172 (⑰-5) and plays
the first theme, half-transformed into a sixteenth-note scale. After a bridge, at ⑱, the second theme
reappears in D major, but the first clarinet plays the melody, and the guitar accompanies the theme
with arpeggiated-eighth notes. The guitar retakes the second theme at ⑳ (m.202) in Eb major and
60
the following section repeats as in the exposition. However, the scale passage reappears in the
dominant of D major (V) before moving on to the Coda.
3.4.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219)
At the exposition, the first oboe and first violins play the main theme in f, but at the
recapitulation, the two oboes and first violins play the theme in ff. The second violins, violas, and
cellos should use separate bows to produce more volume. At mm. 178-179, the countermelody is
played by the flutes instead of the first violins. The dynamic in m. 179 should stay in pp. Four bars
before ⑱ (mm.184-186), there are some inconsistencies in the string parts. This string passage
appears at ⑥, ⑧ and ⑳-2. The passages at ⑧ and ⑳-2, only those who have moving notes
play trills, but the passages at ⑥, the viola’s tied notes have trills, and four bars before ⑱ (m.184
and m.186), the second violin’s first tied notes have trills. My suggestion is to make trills only on
the moving notes in order to achieve a homogeneity of articulation.
Example 3.16 Mvt I, Strings, mm 79-81, 95-96, 184-186
At m.188, the first clarinet takes the second theme in D major. The clarinet should imitate the
articulation of the guitar at the exposition by executing clear staccatos. At m.202, the first bassoon
61
should accompany the second theme played by the guitar carefully since its register is very low.
At m.217, the guitarist is required to make a huge shift in order to begin playing an ascending scale
so there might be a slight tempo change in this bar. However, the tempo of the guitar is fixed on
the second beat of the m.218 since the left-hand movement becomes idiomatic. The conductor
should listen to each of the first notes of the sixteenth triplets in order to give a clear down beat at
㉒.
3.5 Coda: ㉒ to the End (mm.220-243)
3.5.1 Theoretical Analysis: (mm.220-243)
The Coda starts at ㉒ with a tutti of the orchestra in ff in D Major. The beginning of the
Coda consists of the motive of the first theme played by woodwinds (except bassoons) and the
eighth-note motive of the guitar solo from m.19, played by strings and bassoons. At ㉓, the
orchestra repeats a very rhythmical rasgueado-style motive four times, and the guitar solo retakes
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the motive and plays it alone in fortissimo. At ㉔+5, (m.236) the guitar solo plays the motive at
m.19, which is similar to the passage from Anton Pirulero with an echoic accompaniment by the
bassoon and trumpet for four bars. At m.240, the strings without the bass play softly the first two
bars of the thematic motive and the guitar responds to it by playing the remaining two bars of the
thematic motive with a simple accompaniment by the first bassoon. The last chord of the guitar
solo wraps up the first movement with a pizzicato of the cello and bass.
3.5.2 Conductor’s Guide: (mm.220-243)
At m.220, the strings play the eighth notes in molto staccato. Having this passage all down
bow will make a natural separation between the notes and maximize the staccato effect. The first
trumpet plays a high “A” which is the highest note in this piece. The first trumpet should make an
immediate diminuendo after playing the A each time. At mm.226-227, despite the difficulty, the
first trumpet should play the six “A’s” in mfp so that the audience can hear each sixteenth note by
the woodwinds and horns. At m.236, the first bassoon and the trumpet should interlock and keep
moving forward in order to avoid a potential delay.

63
Example 3.19 Mvt I, Bassoon I and trumpet I, mm 236-239
On the second beat of m.242, the solo guitar often decreases the tempo slightly. Thus, the
conductor should be mindful of this potential issue by attending the balance of the guitar and the
accompaniment.
Example 3.20 Mvt I, Guitar solo and bassoon I, mm 242-243
The orchestra score and the guitar solo part of the first movement have a lot of flamenco-
style elements such as hemiolas and rasgueado-like tuttis. Therefore, making clear articulations,
accents, and rhythms will enhance its Spanish traditional style of music.
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Chapter 4
Second movement – Adagio

Key: B minor
Tempo: Adagio
Time Signature: 4/4
Structure: Three-part form
The structure of the second movement is a three-part form with lyrical themes. There are two
cadenzas of the guitar.
Figure 4.1 Important themes
Main theme: Second theme:

m.1 to 1b⑤-1 Part 1 25
m.1 to ①+5 main theme by E. horn / guitar (B minor) E.H/ gt 6
ornamented main theme by guitar/ strs (B minor) gt/ strs
② to ④-1 main theme by E. horn / guitar (G Major)) E.H/gt 10
ornamented main theme by guitar/ strs (G Major) gt/ strs
④ to ⑤-1 motivic theme 1 by strs & motivic theme 2 by E.H strs,ww+E.H 9
⑤ to ⑪+3 Part 2 58
⑤ to ⑦+3 2nd theme by guitar with strings accom+ E.H solo (E Major) gt/strs,bsns+hns 11
2nd theme by guitar with strings accom+ E.H solo (D minor) gt/strs,bsns+hns
2nd theme in triplet with a bridge to the cadenza gt/tutti
⑦+4 to ⑩-1 Cadenza 1 20
⑦+4 to ⑩-1 guitar’s cadenza in E minor
ob solo, guitar’s scale
ob solo, guitar’s scale
ww & brass’ triplet passage
⑩ to ⑪+3 Cadenza 2 27
⑩ to ⑪+3 guitar’s cadenza
65
part 1: cadenza with a pedal of G#

part 2: cadenza with a pedal of D# and groups of arpeggios
part3: guitar’s rasgueado with strings’ pizzicati of G#
⑪+4 to m.101 Part 3 18

⑪+4 to m.101 main theme by orchestra’s tutti (F# minor)
guitar’s counter punctual melody from the 2nd theme
bassoon and E. horn’s motivic theme
Guitar’s arpeggio and a Picardy cadence in B Major
4.1 Part 1: m.1 to ⑤-1 (mm.1-25)
4.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ①-1 (mm.1-7)
The guitar’s arpeggio opens the second movement and at the second bar, the English horn
starts singing the famous lyrical solo, which has been arranged for many different instruments.
Each time the English horn carries the five-measure main theme, the guitar solo follows it.
Wade explains about the theme as follows:
This melody evokes the atmosphere of the saeta; literally, an arrow, the saeta is the
flamenco-like arrow of song which bursts from the people spontaneously during the
religious procession in Holy week; it is improvisational and pierces the celebrational
clamour with its plaintive lament. 130
At ①, the guitar solo develops the English horn theme by adding ornamentations and trills.
The first horn comes in the fourth beat of m.10 to emphasize the cadence of the first dialogue
between the English horn and the guitar. At ②, the English horn plays the theme in G Major in
mezzo forte, and there are more dynamic changes compared with the solo at m.2. The string
section’s accompaniment is pianississimo; however, the solo melody has more expression
compared with the previous passages.
130
Wade, 34.
66
4.1.2 Conductor’s Guide: m.1 to ③-1 (mm.1-16)
The conductor should remember that the soloist needs to retune the guitar, which was tuned
in scordatura for the first movement. The slow arpeggio of the guitar starts from the sixth string
to the first string, so the conductor should coordinate his or her arm movement with the soloist’s
right-hand movement.
Example 4.1, Mvt II, Main theme by English Horn mm.1- 4
From ①, a slight subdivision of the pattern is required for the conductor in order to establish a
stable pulse for the pizzicati of the bass section.

67
Example 4.2, Mvt II, Main theme mm.5-8
The pizzicati of the bass provide the frame of the pulse for the guitar solo, but they should
be played lighter and softly, to avoid imposing the solo guitar a vertical rhythmic sense on the
soloist. The grace notes should always be played before the beat and the main notes on the beat in
order to line up with the pizzicati of the bass.
At the first beat of m.9, the score suggests that solo guitar play four notes simultaneously;
however, in practice, the notes are often played in arpeggio to produce a lyrical effect. The length
of rubato on the first beat depends on the musical taste of the soloist; however, the conductor
should consider the treatment of grace notes before rehearsal. At mm. 10-11, the conductor should
pay attention to the f# and b of the low strings, and the countermelody of the first horn since they
could overwhelm the middle register of the guitar solo. At ②, the cello and the bass sections
switch from pizzicato to arco, so the conductor should pay attention to the volume change.
68
Example 4.3, Mvt II, Guitar solo mm.9-12
The theme appears second time, played by the English horn in G Major with more dynamic
changes, while the accompaniment of the guitar has no particular technical difficulty.
Example 4.4, Mvt II, Thematic motive mm.13-16
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4.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25)
At ③, the guitar responds to the English horn solo with ornamentations, and the first
bassoon comes in ④-1 in F# Major, the dominant of B minor, to conclude the second dialogue
between the English horn and the guitar. At ④, the tonality becomes B minor and the strings play
a modified thematic melody from the main theme of the second movement and the woodwinds’
response brings the music to the next section. At ⑤-1, the English horn plays a melody, while the
strings and the guitar play an accompaniment in F #7 chord, the V7 of B Major.
70
4.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25)
At ③, the conductor should listen to the first chord of the solo guitar carefully since it
requires a huge left hand stretch for the soloist. The guitarist’s first finger stays on the third fret of
the sixth string, and the fourth finger should reach the seventh fret of the first string. In practice,
the low G cannot be sustained as written, so the soloist often plays a rubato on the bass note to
give a strong harmonic accent to make the melody more lyrical.
Example 4.6, Mvt II, Guitar solo ③, mm.17-18
At ⑤-1, the conductor should be mindful of the last arpeggio of the soloist since the solo
should make a huge leap from the second fret to the fourteenth fret of the guitar to play a short
cadenza in B Major.
71
4.2 Part 2: ⑤ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83)
4.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36)
starts with a new theme played by the guitar. The melody is in B Major inviting the solo
guitar to an E Major cadence at m.28. However, the new theme modulates to A7 chord, the
dominant of D major and brings the oboe and strings to play a motive of the main theme at ⑥ in
D7, and the modulation brings the melody into G minor ⑦-1, and the first cadenza of the guitar
starts in E minor.
4.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36)
At ⑤, the strings’ slurred staccato should be played almost legato to cover the short decay
of the guitar solo. The conductor should watch the soloist playing the last four thirty-second notes
at the end of each cadenza from ⑤ to ⑥. It is recommended that the conductor synchronizes his
or her upbeat with the last four notes of the solo guitar to invite the entrance of the horns and
bassoons at m.28.
72
Example 4.8, Mvt II, Guitar solo part mm.27-29
At ⑥, the conductor should be aware of the entrance of muted trumpets which is their
first appearance in this movement. At ⑥+3, there is an erratum on the second beat of the cello
part. The tied D in eighth note should be corrected as a tied sixteenth with a sixteenth rest.
Example 4.9, Mvt II, Erratum in the cello part, mm.31-33
73
4.2.3 Theoretical Analysis: ⑦+4 to ⑩-1 (mm.37- 56)
The guitar solo plays a cadenza starting in E minor. Rodrigo used the double staff notation
to clarify the melody and the accompaniment. E minor is one of the richest keys for the classical
guitar since its tonic chord contains four open strings including the sixth open string E. Wade states
that this solo is a combination of the saeta-like melodic line with a harmonic accompaniment in
arpeggio.131
Example 4.10, Mvt II, First guitar cadenza mm.37-39
After the first part of the cadenza, the first oboe follows the guitar by playing a saeta-like
melody on the third beat of ⑧. After the oboe’s solo, the guitar plays a scale consisting of the
triplets and 64th notes. This passage repeats once more a whole tone below compared with the first
part. On the third beat of ⑨, the passage which consists of the sixteenth triplets brings the guitar
to the second cadenza.
131
Wade, 35.
74
4.2.4 Conductor’s Guide: ⑦+4 to ⑩-1 (mm.37- 56)
⑧-1, the conductor should make eye contact with the first oboist and the upper string
sections, and mentally following the tempo of the soloist in order to make a smooth connection
into the last arpeggio of the guitar and the entrance of the first oboe.
The conductor should give a very clear preparation of the anacrusises of ⑧+3 and ⑨-1
to the soloist, the cello, and the bass section so that they can start together. As the anacrusis of ⑥,
each grace note at the end of the phrase of the guitar should be well synchronized with the orchestra.
The transition at ⑨ is one of the most delicate passages in this concerto for the conductor. The
conductor should connect with the second horn, the flutes and the first oboe. Especially, the oboist
needs to have a clear click since it starts a half beat later than the second flute and the second horn.
75
4.2.5 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83)
The second cadenza is longer and more virtuosic than the previous cadenza and consists
of three parts. At ⑩, the key changes from B minor to C# minor. At the first part, the main saeta-
like theme appears with a pedal of G# note, and the part is wrapped up with a recitative-like motive
from the main saeta-like theme.

76
Example 4.13, Mvt II, Second guitar cadenza mm.57-58
There is a short transition which consists of two arpeggios in A Major. The second part of
the second cadenza starts with a melody which is supported by a D # pedal.
Example 4.14, Mvt II, Second guitar cadenza mm.65-68
The melody transforms into groups of arpeggios which contain the main notes on the upper
parts. The third part of the cadenza starts at ⑪, with a strong G# pizzicato of the strings and the
guitar solo follows it with a rasgueado in thirty-second notes in fff. This pattern repeats three times,
and a tutti of the orchestra in F# minor opens part 3.

77
4.2.6 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83)
The conductor needs to follow the cadenza from the second part of the second cadenza,
align the beat with the first double-quintuplet arpeggio and count the beat by listening to each one
of the highest notes of the arpeggios.
Example 4.15, Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.69-76
From m.77, the guitar solo empasizes the first note of each arpeggio with an accent. When the
guitar plays the last arpeggio, the conductor should take a slight breath before giving a cue for the
string section’s G# pizzicato so the solo can have time to move his or her left hand to a very high
position at ⑪.
78
Example 4.16, Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.77-80
When the solo finishes the third rasgueado, the conductor should consider the last eighth
note of the guitar as the preparation beat for the orchestra tutti at ⑪+3.
Example 4.17, Mvt II, Second part of the second cadenza mm.83
79
4.3 Part 3: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101)
4.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101)
At ⑪+4, the tonality changes in F# minor and an orchestral tutti opens the fifth section of
the second movement. The saeta-like main theme is played by the upper string sections, and the
woodwind instruments follow by echoing the melody in an antiphonal way. At ⑫, the first flute
concludes the tutti of the orchestra and leads to the guitar solo, which consists of sixteenth triplets
in C# minor, accompanied by the violins. At ⑬, the first bassoon plays a modified motive of the
main saeta-like theme, and the English horn echoes it a perfect fourth higher. Finally, the guitar
solo enters on a F# chord, the dominant of B Major, played by the strings. The solo guitar’s
recitative-like melody concludes with an arpeggio in B Major chord with three notes of the
harmonics.
4.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑪+4 to the end (mm.84-101)
Conducting from ⑪+4 is quite straight-forward. The quarter notes and half notes should
be played softer than ff while the sixteenth and the thirty-second notes are played so each motive
and the moving notes can be clearly heard. It is recommended that this passage be conducted in
eighth notes.
80
Example 4.18, Mvt II, Tutti, mm.62-64
At ⑫, the first flute melody should be heard clearly since its register is very low and the
registers of the first oboe and the horns are very expressive. The end of ⑫+2 needs a little
ritardando to bring in the guitar solo ⑫+3.

81
The fourth beat of ⑬+2, the second clarinet plays a low F# in concert pitch and the
conductor should gently invite the soloist to play the sixteenth triplet in rallentando. The conductor
should follow the solo guitar’s tempo and give a cue to the bass section for a pizzicato in a low B
which punctuates the tonic of B Major.

82
Guitarist David Russell gives a useful tip for performing the second movement,
emphasizing the importance of listening to the bass line. He says:
Specifically, I like to hear the pulse in the bass line in the slow movement, so I am able to
play my rubato, while the general pulse stays constant, except for the very end of each
long phrase. A large amount of Rodrigo’s music has a very strong rhythmic impetus, and
I think it is important to maintain that. The second movement of the concerto offers a
great variety of possibilities [for personal expression]. That means that each time we hear
a different guitarist playing it, we are able to enjoy that player’s personality coming
through in the music.132
132
David Russell, Xuefei Yang, and Milos Karadaglic, “Joaquín Rodrigo’s Journey to ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’,”
interview by Blair Jackson, Classical Guitar, no. 378 (Summer 2015): 27.
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Chapter 5
Third movement – Allegro gentile

Structure: Rondo form
Key: Begins in B Major and ends up in D Major
Time Signature: 2/4 and 3/4
Tempo: = 164
m.1 to ① Introduction 40
mm.1-20 main theme by guitar solo (B Major) Solo guitar 20
mm.21 to ① Main theme by tutti (D Major) Tutti except hns 20

①+2 to ⑤-1 Section 1 57
guitar solo / vla+vc’s pizz, fl solo (F# Minor) 13
guitar solo / vla+vc’s pizz, fl solo (F# Minor) 16
Pirulero theme by guitar/ bsns,hns $trps x 4 16
Pirulero theme by guitar in the upper register 12
⑤ to ⑩ Section 2 64
Dialogue between guitar and ww 8
upper Pirulero theme by guitar, guitar’s triplets 33
main theme with arpeggios by guitar (G Major – E Minor) (A2) 23
⑩+2 to ⑮-2 Section 3 67
4-bar tutti, 10-bar guitar solo, guitar’s arpeggio’s (B Major) 24
4-bar tutti, 10-bar guitar solo, guitar’s arpeggio’s (F# Major) 23
main theme by guitar with 16th slur scale 20
⑮-1 to ㉑-1 Section 4 62

fanfare-like theme by guitar, trumpet and tutti (A Major) 19
fanfare-like theme by guitar, trumpet and tutti (B Major) 19
fanfare-like theme by guitar (D Major) 13
guitar’s arpeggios and scale 11
㉑ to ㉒-1 Section 5 19
main theme by tutti (D Major) tutti

㉒ to m.321 Codetta 12
4- bar tutti, 5-bar descending guitar scale, a simple ending with tutti, gt & strs
three quarter by guitar and strings’ pizz
84
5.1 Introduction: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40)
5.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40)
The third movement begins with the guitar solo without accompaniment. On the score, the
anacrusis of the first meause is erroneous. The two quarter-notes should be corrected as two eighth-
notes.
Example 5.1, Mvt III, Intro, m.1
This movement consists of 2/4 and 3/4 patterns giving a rhythmic excitement. The guitar solo
plays 20-measures of the solo in B Major, and the orchestra’s tutti follows by imitating the previous
solo passage of the guitar in D Major, the main key of this movement. The orchestra plays exaclty
the same length of the measures as the guitar solo.
5.1.2 Conductor’s Guide: m.1 to ① (mm.1-40)
The conductor follows the guitar solo by marking bars in a passive way and must give a
strong down beat on the first beat of m.20 to bring the orchestra’s tutti.
The grouping of four measures, 3/4-2/4-2/4-2/4, is often observed in the third movement. For
example, The measures from the beginning until ① consists of ten groups of 3/4-2/4-2/4-2/4.
( five for the solo guitar and five for the orchestra tutti.)
85
Example 5.2, Mvt III, Guitar solo, mm.1-8
It is recommended that the conductor analyse this pattern to memorize the structure of the
movement. The four bar pattern appears eight times in the third movement.
from m.1 to ①, ③ to ④-1, ⑨ to ⑩-7, ⑭ to ⑮-6, ⑮-1 to ⑰-4, ⑰ to ⑲-2, ⑲ to ⑳-6, and
㉑ to ㉒-1
The conductor should emphasize the first beat of each 3/4 measure to create linear phrasing.
Example 5.3, Mvt III, Orchestra’s tutti, mm. 20-29
86
5.2 Section 1: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97)
5.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97)
The guitar solo plays the harmonized theme in D Major and brings a short flute solo in F #
minor by playing an F# pedal. The guitar plays four bars of B minor solo passage and performs the
harmonized theme in E Major.
Example 5.4, Mvt III, Flute solo, mm. 45-49
Another solo flute passage in C# minor and four bars of the solo guitar passage appears as
the previous case. At ③, a bass melody of the guitar, similar to the passage at ①-7 in the first
movement, appears with an accompaniment of the bassoons, trumpets and horns. The four-bar
phrase repeats four times and at ④, the pattern changes 3/4-3/4-2/4-2/4-2/4 twice.
5.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ①+2 to ⑤-1 (mm.41-97)
From ①+2, the conductor should indicate fast and clear preparations to gain the low
strings’ pizzicati on time. ③-4, the fingerings of each chord of the guitar are very challenging
since they are not written in an idiomatic way. The conductor should pay attention to the guitar
solo if he or she makes any tempo rubato while playing the chords, especially the last chord which
carries the wind and brass accompaniment at ③.

87
From ③, for each 3/4 measure, the conductor only needs to give the same preparation as
①+1 and soft landing of the downbeat to get light and short staccato in pianissimo.
Example 5.6, Mvt III, Pirulero theme by guitar, mm. 69-73
5.3 Section 2: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161)
5.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161)
At ⑤, the guitar plays chords in C# minor in ff, and the flute and piccolo respond to it by
playing the previous passage in octaves with an accompaniment of the brass. The guitar repeats
the same figure of the chords, but in Db Major, the enharmonic chord of C# Major, and the
woodwinds and the brass follow the guitar by playing a response in C # Major.
88
On the anacrusis of ⑥-3, the guitar solo starts to play a variation of Pirulero theme, which appears
in the first movement, on the upper melody in E Major and concludes with a B minor chord.
Example 5.8, Mvt III, Pirulero theme by guitar,mm.104-108
The five bars of the string hemiola bring the guitar’s virtuosic triplet passage at ⑦-5, the triplet
passage repeats three times and invites a variation of the theme played by the 1 st violin and the
89
guitar in G Major. At ⑨, the guitar plays brilliant arpeggios in sixteenth notes, and the first violins
play the theme in pizzicato with the cello’s accompaniment. The section concludes in E Major at
⑨+2.
5.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑤ to ⑩ (mm.98-161)
At ⑤, the low strings play a series of repeated pizzicato Cs. The pizzicati tend to be played
legato since there are no note changes. The conductor should ask the low string players to play
those notes staccato to unify the articulation of the whole orchestra. At ⑥+3, the hemiolas in the
strings have a tendency to accelerate the tempo, so the conductor should lower his or her beat
pattern. At ⑨, the guitar solo starts to play the arpeggiated main theme in sixteenth notes, and the
first violins play the unmodified main theme in pizzicato.
Example 5.9, Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggio, mm.139-146
The tempo for the guitar solo is fixed; however, the pizzicati of the first violins often tend
to accelerate the tempo. Thus, the conductor should ask the first violin section to fully respect the
90
value of the eighth rests and to listen to the arpeggios of the guitar. It would be helpful for the
orchestra to see how the soloist performs this passage at rehearsal. The soloist can face the
orchestra so the musicians can see the hand movement of the guitarist and listen to the sound more
directly.
From ⑩-6 to ⑩-1, there is a crescendo and accents on the violin passage. The conductor
should calculate the level of the crescendo to build a smooth connection to the tutti of the
woodwinds at ⑩ and give clear cues to the violins to produce vibrant accents.
Example 5.10, Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggio, mm.156-160
5.4 Section 3: ⑩+2 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229)
5.4.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩+1 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229)
Four measures of the orchestra’s tutti in E Major introduce a nine-measure guitar solo
consisting of a C Major and an A Major passage. From the anacrusis of ⑪+2, the wood winds
and the violins play a short and dynamic melody while the guitar is performing a brilliant B Major
arpeggio ending up with an ascending melodic E minor scale. The scale opens an A Major passage
connected to the four measures of the orchestra’s tutti in B Major. This time, the tutti brings a nine-
91
measure guitar solo consisting of a G Major and an A Major passage. At the anacrusis of ⑬+2,
the passage at ⑪+2 is repeated exactly the same way, but a perfect fourth lower. At the anacrusis
of ⑭, the main theme reappears in A Major and it is played by the piccolo. The flute plays the
theme in triplets and the guitar plays the theme with detaché and slur on the sixteenths.
5.4.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩+2 to ⑮-1 (mm.162-229)
The conductor follows the guitar solo from ⑩+5 by counting the beat passively and giving
a strong preparation beat with a breath on the second beat of ⑪. The passage from ⑪ to ⑭ is
very straight forward and does not need any tempo adjustment or rubato.
Even though there are two huge leaps at mm.180 and 204, those are idiomatic passages. The first
two notes of each first arpeggio are open strings, hence the soloist has enough time to move his or
her left hand after playing the scale. Some players make a little accelerando while playing the
scale to add more musical tension.
Example 5.11, Mvt III, Guitar’s arpeggios and scales, mm.179-182 & mm. 203-206
In terms of the conducting technique, the third movement is quite straight forward.
However, the orchestra often tends to accelerate the tempo, especially when the guitar solo
performs sixteenth note passages such as from ⑨ and from ⑭. The conductor needs to hold the
tempo while conducting those passages. At ⑭, the conductor should unify the length of the
92
staccato of the woodwinds. The half notes of the brass should be pulled back like a bell sound to
highlight the solo passage of the guitar. At ⑭-3, the conductor slightly turns right toward the cello,
and the bass section to invite them to play pizzicati at ⑭-3.
5.5 Section 4: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290)
5.5.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290)
At ⑮-1, the guitar solo plays a fanfare-like passage in third and perfect fifth in A Major
with a Pedal of E in the celli. A real fanfare of the muted trumpets follows the guitar solo, and at
⑯, it opens a tutti of the orchestra in G Major, which consists of the fanfare melody and a counter
point melody related to the theme at ⑩. At ⑰, the fanfare-like theme is played again by the
guitar; however, in B Major. As the previous passage, the muted trumpets echo the theme of the
guitar. The contrapuntal tutti reappears and it carries the last fanfare-like theme of the guitar in A
Major at ⑲, the dominant chord of D Major. At ⑳, the guitar solo performs eight measure of the
brilliant arpeggios in A Major chord. After a fermata on the note A, the solo plays a dramatic D
Major ascending scale leading into the Codetta.
Example 5.12, Mvt III, Orchestra’s fanfare-like theme, mm.240-244
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5.5.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑮-1 to ㉑-1 (mm.230-290)
From ⑮-1, the conductor has to remember that only the guitar solo has the accent on each
first beat, but not the pedal of E in the celli. However, from ⑯-3, the conductor should give a
clear accent on each first beat of the measure until ⑰-2. From ⑰, the beat pattern of the conductor
is the same as the previous passage from ⑮-1 to ⑰-2. At ⑳, the conductor should give a cue to
the first violin and listen to each first note of the arpeggios of the guitar.
E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A
Example 5.13, Mvt III, Guitar’s short cadenza, mm.280-288
The crescendo of the strings starts at ⑳+4; however, the string players may be tempted to
make an early crescendo since the guitar solo makes the crescendo ⑳-4. After the fermata ㉑-3,
the guitar solo plays a virtuosic ascending scale.

94
Example 5.14, Mvt III, Guitar’s scale, mm. 288-291
The first chord of the tutti at ㉑ often comes later than the guitar solo since the sound of
the guitar is not loud enough and the motion of the soloist is smaller than other instrumentalists
such as pianists or violinists. In some cases, the soloist accelerates the last eight sixteenth notes to
dramatize the entrance of the tutti. The last eighth notes can be performed in the same position, in
that case, the conductor should give the preparation beat slightly in advance in order to guarantee
the tutti sound on time. In the first movement at ㉒, there is also a similar passage where the scale
of the guitar and the orchestra tutti come together; however, in that case, the speed of the guitar
scale cannot change since it consists of eighth triplets. Guitarist Xuefei Yang talks about the
different timing of the guitar and the orchestra while performing Concierto de Aranjuez and gives
some suggestions.
The orchestra actually probably has a harder time hearing you. An orchestra is like a big
elephant—the conductor makes a motion and it takes a second for the sound to come out.
But the guitar is such a quick instrument—you see the [conductor’s] hand come down and
you might be quicker than the orchestra, so you have to take all that into account. 133
133
David Russell, Xuefei Yang, and Milos Karadaglic, “Joaquín Rodrigo’s Journey to ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’,”
interview by Blair Jackson, Classical Guitar, no. 378 (Summer 2015): 27.
95
5.6 Section 5 and Codetta: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321)
5.6.1 Theoretical Analysis: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321)
At ㉑, the tutti from m.21 reappears in ff, in D Major, and the horns are added to enrich the
orchestration. At ㉒, the codetta starts and the orchestration becomes lighter to invite the guitar
solo at ㉒+5. The guitar solo performs a descending slur scale from ff to pp and plays three D
notes in staccato with the first violins, cellos, and basses to conclude the movement.
5.6.2 Conductor’s Guide: ㉑ to ㉒-1, ㉒ to the end (mm.291-309, 310-321)
The potential acceleration of the ascending scale of the guitar right before ㉑, could
provoke a rapid tempo at ㉑. Therefore, the conductor should lower the beat to hold the tempo of
the orchestra. The last three pizzicati of the strings should be played in staccato to unify the
articulation with the guitar solo.
Example 5.15, Mvt III, Ending of the piece, mm. 297-312
96
After the performance, the conductor should invite the English horn player to give a solo
bow to the audience. It looks very simple and easy; however, conductors might forget as the soloist
receives the audience applause. Conductor David Itkin suggests writing a note at the end of the
score or taping a note to the floor in case of conducting from memory. 134
134
Itkin, 386.
97
Chapter 6
Useful Tips for Conducting Guitar Concertos
Chapter six will provide rehearsal techniques and suggestions for general guitar concerto
rehearsals and concerts to open further research for the guitar concerto.
6.1 Tips Associated with Musical Expression and Technique
6.1.1 Establishing Dynamic Levels
Before the first rehearsal, the conductor should have a clear idea about the dynamic level
of the orchestra. Conductor Jerry Donald Kracht suggested that the performer establish the
dynamics of a piece from a barely audible level to the loudest level, especially when rehearsing a
piece which has a wide dynamic range. 135 This is the exact opposite of the way that a guitarist
practices a piece, since producing a soft sound is much easier on the guitar than producing a loud
sound.
The dynamic range of Concierto de Aranjuez is as follows.
ppp – pp – p – mp – mf – f – ff – fff
The softest dynamic of this concerto, ppp appears at ①, in the first movement, and the loudest
dynamic, fff, comes out on the third beat of m.167, ⑯-1.
6.1.2 Relative Dynamic and Fingerings
Other issues are the relative dynamics and fingerings. The guitar has different dynamics
depending on its register. The lower register’s sound has less projection than the sound of the treble
135
Kracht, 72.
98
register, and playing a note in f and strumming the six strings with rasgueado in f will produce
different results. Another issue for non-guitarist conductors and composers is that the guitar sound
often depends on the fingerings of the left hand and the plucking styles of the right hand. For the
guitar, a chord consisting of many notes often results in weak sound, especially it is not
idiomatically written. Example 6.1 shows two different types of the fingering. The first four chords
include open -string notes in the middle of the harmony and request an extension of the left hand
which results in weakening the dynamic. However, the last chord has three open strings, and it
needs only the index of the left hand to be performed, so the resonance of the chord will be richer
and louder than the previous four chords.
Example 6.1, Mvt 3, mm. 50-54
6.1.3 Understanding the Rest Stroke and the Free Stroke
There are two traditional ways of plucking strings of the guitar: the rest stroke and the free
stroke.136 The rest stroke allows the right fingers to stay on the next string after plucking a string
of the guitar. This stroke produces a powerful sound projection and mainly used for executing
melodic lines. On the other hand, the free stroke requires the right fingers to stay in the air after
plucking the string. The fast arpeggios on the guitar often result in weak sonority since the soloist
136
Scott Tennant and Nathaniel Gunod, Pumping Nylon: A Guide to Classical Guitarists Technique
Handbook (Van Nuys: Alfred, 1995):35-36.
99
executes the notes with the free stroke. For a conductor, it is crucial to meet the soloist to discuss
these issues of delicate sound balance. The orchestral instruments also have different dynamic
ranges; hence the conductor must first of all understand the dynamics of the guitar and then unify
the dynamics of each of the orchestral instruments. For example, the sound projection and the
ability of the guitar to sustain sound is shorter than the orchestral instruments. The orchestra
musicians should understand these characteristics of the guitar, especially when they accompany
the solo part. It is recommended that the string players control the dynamics by visualizing their
bow movements in terms of the bow speed and length. The woodwind and the brass players should
adjust their sound, especially when they play background harmony. There also is another way of
adjusting the sound balance of the guitar and orchestra. If the soloist runs through a rehearsal by
turning toward the orchestra without amplification, the musicians will benefit from listening to the
delicate guitar sound with more attention and to adjust their reaction by looking at the soloist.
6.2 Tips Assoiciated with Amplification
6.2.1 Sound Reinforcement System
Amplifying the guitar sound has become more and more popular due to the construction
of huge concert halls. Sound engineers Gary. D Davis and Ralph Jones classify the amplification
systems into two categories: a) main sound reinforcement system, projecting the sound to the
audience; b) stage monitor system, enabling performers to listen to their sound on stage. 137 Since
the level of the amplification for the guitar must be adjusted without distorting its original timbre,
some guitarists use only the stage monitor system. Guitarist David Tanenbaum states that placing
137
Gary D. Davis and Ralph Jones, The Sound Reinforcement Handbook (Milwaukee: Hal Leonard, 1989):178.
100
monitor speakers behind the orchestra helps the musicians listen to the guitar sound. 138 In his
dissertation, composer and guitarist Emiliano Pardo-Tristán supports Tenenbaum’s opinion
regarding the amplification setting. Pardo-Tristán states that placing two monitor speakers behind
each side of the orchestra enabled him to perform his guitar concerto Concierto Mejorana without
sound balance issue.
6.2.2 Microphone Types by Transducer
Selecting an appropriate microphone is crucial to obtain the best sound quality of the guitar.
In his book Recording Orchestra and Other Classical Music Ensembles, Richard King states that
microphones can be classified in various ways, such as transducer types and polar patterns. 139 King
explains the definition of a transducer as follows;
A transducer by definition is any device that changes energy from one state to another. In
audio, microphones are used to transfer acoustic energy into electrical energy, and
loudspeakers perform the same function except in the reverse direction, via a mechanical
apparatus.140
There are three types of microphones in terms of the transducer type: the dynamic microphone,
ribbon microphone and the condenser microphone.
a) Dynamic Microphone
The dynamic microphone consists of a moving coil attached to a magnetic diaphragm that
detects sound waves.141 The sound wave touches the diaphragm, attached the moving coil, and the
138
Colin Cooper.Guitar interviews. vol. 1: the best from Classical Guitar Magazine (Pacific, MO: Mel Bay
Publications 2001):96.
139
Richard King. 2016. Recording Orchestra and Other Classical Music Ensembles. (Abingdon: Taylor & Francis
Group, 2016):21.
140
Ibid.
141
Ibid.,22.
101
coil sends the signal to the loudspeaker. This microphone is inexpensive and less sensitive than
the condenser microphone, so the dynamic microphone is often used for the recording session or
concert of the loud instruments such as electronic guitar and drum.142 This microphone does not
need external electrical support, so its simple system makes the usage more commonly. The image
below (Figure 6.1) shows the function of a dynamic microphone.
Figure 6.1 Diagram of a dynamic moving coil

Source: Richard King. Recording Orchestra and Other Classical Music Ensembles. Abingdon: Taylor &
Francis Group, 2016, p.23.
142
Amer Erheim, “A Guide to Different Types of Microphones,” RTC Electronics, July 30, 2018,
https://www.rtcelectronics.ca/guide-different-types-microphones/
102
b) Ribbon Microphone
The ribbon microphone is a branch of the dynamic microphone; however, instead of the
moving coil, a corrugated ribbon shape element detects the vibration of the sound wave. 143
Figure 6.2 Diagram of a ribbon transducer

This microphone is very fragile, so while installing or disassembling it, a delicate treatment is
absolutely needed.
c) Condenser Microphone
A condenser microphone consists of a diaphragm and backplate connecting to a voltage
source in order to polarize the two materials. This external voltage is called “phantom power” and
King offers a precise explanation about the phantom power as follows;
Phantom power: Condenser microphones are designed with a preamplifier located inside
the body of the microphone. In this case an external voltage is needed to power the
electronics and polarize the capsule in most cases, and this voltage is “carried” on the same
cable that transmits the audio signal. It is called phantom power since it is provides a
143
King, Recording Orchestra and Other Classical Music Ensembles, 22.
103
voltage to the microphone’s preamp while remaining “transparent” to the audio signal, and
it is filtered or removed at the audio input of the microphone preamplifier. A simple
explanation is that it is a “steady state” or DC voltage upon which the audio signal is
transmitted.144
Figure 6.3 Diagram of a condenser transducer

The condenser microphone is often used for classical music performance because of its
high-quality sound capturing sensitivity. The table below is a comparison of transducer designs. It
clearly shows that the condenser microphone is the best choice for classical music performance.
144
Ibid., 25.
104
Table 6.1 Comparison of Transducer Designs
6.2.3 Microphone Types by Polar Patterns
Polar Patterns of the Microphone
A polar pattern is a range of the space that a microphone can capture the sound. The
amplification of classical music performance needs more sensitivity and finesse compared with
rock concerts or general presentations; therefore, an appropriate type of polar pattern is crucial to
produce a refined sound of the classical instrument. There are three different types of direction:
omnidirectional; bi-directional; cardioid.

105
a) Omnidirectional Polar Pattern Microphone
The omnidirectional polar pattern microphone equally covers sound from all directions and
less sensitive to wind noise than cardioids, so it is often used for outdoor recordings or concerts. 145
Figure 6.4 Omnidirectional polar pattern microphone

Source:Polar Patterns. Shure Europe. Accessed November 17, 2019.
https://www.shure.eu/musicians/discover/educational/polar-patterns.
b) Bi-Directional Polar Pattern Microphone
A bi-directional microphone, called also “figure of 8” microphone captures sounds from
the front and rear of the microphone, but not the side of the microphone.
Figure 6.5 Bi-directional polar pattern microphone

Source: Polar Patterns. Shure Europe. Accessed November 17, 2019.
145
Ibid., 29.
106
This type of microphone has a very narrow directional range, so they are used for isolating sound
resources placed side by side.146
c) Cardioid Polar Pattern Microphone
A Cardioid polar pattern microphone is also called a directional microphone since it
captures the sound from a specific direction and angle. The range of the polar pattern is a heart
shape; that is the reason for naming it as cardioid. 147
Figure 6.6 Cardioid polar pattern microphone

Source:Polar Patterns. Shure Europe. Accessed November 17, 2019.
Condenser Microphone with a Cardioid Polar Pattern
For the guitar concerto performance or recording, the sound of solo guitar should be
captured directly from the guitar without the sound from other instruments; therefore, a cardioid
polar pattern microphone is suitable for the amplification of the guitar. In terms of the sound
quality, it is obvious that the condenser microphone is the best choice since it captures a well-
balanced original sound in the distance with high sensitivity. Expensive ribbon microphones also
146
Davida Rochman, “Multi-Pattern Microphones: What, Where and How?,” Shure, August 11, 2014,
https://www.shure.com/en-US/performance-production/louder/multi-pattern-microphones-what-where-and-how.
147
King, Recording Orchestra and Other Classical Music Ensembles, 30.
107
provide a high-quality sound of the instruments; however, they function best at close range, which
is not recommended for the guitar amplification.
In conclusion, the most suitable microphone type for the guitar concerto is a condenser
microphone with a cardioid polar pattern since it provides the best sound quality and the
appropriate capturing range.
6.2.4 Microphone Setting
Sam Desmet’s dissertation provides useful microphone setting tips by introducing an
interview with John Williams.148 Williams is a world-renowned classical guitarist, who has played
cross-over music with an amplified guitar since the 1970s and has used amplification for his
recitals as well. He suggests that the microphone be directed between the soundhole and the bridge
of the guitar so the microphone will perceive the sound caused by the vibration of the soundboard
and air around it. 149 Michael Pettersen, the Director of Applications Engineering - Shure
Incorporated, gives practical information about placing a microphone from a perspective of the
sound engineer. He writes:
A guitar radiates a different timbre in every direction and each guitar surface produces a
distinct timbre. By adjusting the mic position relative to the guitar, tonal balance can be
dramatically altered. A guitar is designed to sound best at a distance, i.e. two or more feet
away. It is "at a distance" that the numerous sounds radiating from the guitar surfaces
combine into a pleasing composite. A microphone placed "at a distance" tends to pick up
a well-balanced tone quality. In contrast, a mic placed very close to the guitar tends to
emphasize the surface that the microphone is near. Therefore, the sound from a closely
placed mic will not be representative of the guitar as a whole. 150
148
Desmet, 68.
149
Ibid.,68.
150
Michael Pettersen, “Classical Guitar Mic,” Shure, accessed October 3, 2019, https://www.shure.com/en-
US/support/find-an-answer/classical-guitar-mic.
108
Pettersen also suggests that the performer adjust the position of the microphone by testing the
distance.
When amplifying your guitar, you may encounter feedback. In these cases, position the
mic very close to the loudest part of the guitar. Then experiment with mic choice, speaker
location, and equalization to obtain your desired tonal balance and sound level. Remember
that a difference of only one inch can make a tremendous difference in what the mic picks
up. There is no one perfect way to mike a guitar as there is no single ideal mic to use. Like
playing, it is part science and part art. Choose and place the mic to get the sound you want.
Experiment and listen!151
To sum up, the conductor should have a basic knowledge about the amplification to
produce the best performance. Performing with an orchestra is often rare case for guitarists;
therefore, understanding the function of the amplification system and selecting an appropriate
microphone will be huge assets for the conductor when he or she works on guitar concerto
performing or recordings. In addition to the knowledge about the technical issues related to the
amplification, the conductor should know that the soloist has the right of selecting the
amplification option. This subject should be discussed before signing the contract and should be
mentioned in the agreement for the performance.
151
Ibid.
109
Chapter 7
Conclusion
The objective of this dissertation was to provide practical information about Concierto de
Aranjuez for conductors. Chapter one states the purpose and objective of the research and brief
information about Concierto de Aranjuez and Joaquin Rodrigo. This chapter also presents history
of the guitar literature, its construction, and amplification issues. Chapter two is a literature review
consists of five resources related to: Concierto de Aranjuez; guitar in the orchestral and opera
literature; guitar method and technique; concertos for guitar and other instruments; conductor.
The information related to Concierto de Aranjuez includes historical background of this
concerto from the perspective of a musicologist, technical and practical suggestions by a
professional conductor, and analysis about flamenco techniques and cadenzas of Rodrigo’s guitar
concertos. While studying this information, I discovered historical and musical background
knowledge about this concerto which is useful to the conductor. The resources related to the
orchestral and opera literature allow me to recognize the use of the guitar in the mainstream
classical music history and how the guitar has developed its status through the years. The
information about guitar method and technique explains the basic knowledge about the guitar.
Finally, the resources about concertos and conducting skills inspire me to shape the outline of my
analysis by adopting methods from other performance guide-dissertation and the conducting
analysis.
Chapter three, four, and five feature the analysis of each movement of Concierto de
Aranjuez. These three chapters provide the structure of the movements, guidelines about sound
balance, articulations, and beat patterns. The suggestions about errata and discrepancies were
presented in these Chapters. Chapter six offers perhaps the most pragmatic information for the
non-guitar-playing conductor. Here, useful information is offered regarding conducting guitar

110
concertos in general, establishing dynamic levels, dealing with the issues arising from unidiomatic
fingerings, and understanding different playing styles. Chapter six also offers important
information about microphone styles and its characteristics so the conductor can set up an
appropriate amplification system for the guitar concerto performance.
In conclusion, this dissertation provides general principals for conducting guitar concertos
as follows.
1. Relative Dynamics and articulations
This dissertation provides various examples of the combination of the guitar and other
instruments such as bassoon, clarinet, and trumpet. The research indicates how to harmonize the
ensemble by reducing orchestral instruments’ volume or exaggerating staccato while playing with
the guitar in order to produce a well-balanced sound. For example, the first bassoonist should play
the eighth notes with light staccato while accompanying the guitar in the first movement. In general,
the trumpet should keep its sharp staccato sound while playing rhythmic passages; however, it
should be always played without being overpowering. The rasgueado-like string passage at the
beginning of the first movement needs a lot of percussive effects in piano; therefore, the conductor
should encourage the musicians to produce the rhythmic sound without hesitation.
2. Understanding Arpeggio Patterns and Lightning Acceleration
At the cadenza, the guitar often demonstrates its splendid arpeggios, which often are not
familiar with the orchestral musicians and conductors. The guitar soloist does not need huge
motions to produce the arpeggios, and the timber of the arpeggio could be perceived almost
obscure to the conductor. Chapter four of this dissertation explains how to group the arpeggio
patterns and to listen to the main notes by providing precise analyses. The dissertation provides
111
breathing points for the orchestra while the guitarist is shifting the left-hand position to facilitate
the coordination of the solo and tutti connections.
There is another characteristic of the guitar, not stated in the score: lightning acceleration.
Guitar soloists sometimes make a very short acceleration at the end of the phrase, which introduces
a tutti of the orchestra to provide a dramatic effect. Measure 25 of the first movement and one bar
before rehearsal number 25 at the third movement are good examples. Like the trumpet, the guitar
has a very short reaction time to produce a sound. Therefore, the conductor should predict the
acceleration and give a preparation beat to the orchestra a little bit in advance.
3. Other Unknown-Characteristics of the Guitar
For many instruments, playing a lot of notes equals producing loud sounds; however, for
the guitar, it often creates the opposite result due to its complicated fingerings. This dissertation
gives some examples of idiomatic and unidiomatic fingerings of the guitar and provides
suggestions such as adjusting the tempo, reducing the volume of the orchestra, and so on. The
register of the guitar also affects the volume of the sound. This dissertation discovers some
principals about dealing with the register of the guitar. The high and mid register of the guitar
sound has rich overtones, and a good projection, especially for the notes played on the three upper
strings in high positions. However, the low register sound has less clarity when it is played with a
tutti of the orchestra. Chapter three of this research provides suggestions about the harmonization
of the low register guitar sound and the tutti by adjusting the volume of the orchestra.
112
Further Research
Conducting research on Concierto de Aranjuez was challenging since there are so few
resources directly connected to the guitar concerto literature. Since it is a first foray into this type
of research for the guitar concerto, perhaps this research will provide a template for future
conducting guides to other guitar concertos. This research was only focused on analysing
Concierto de Aranjuez; however, it provides basic structure for any conductor’s guide to a guitar
concerto. I hope that research such as this will embolden conductors to undertake the performance
of guitar concertos more often.

113
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Appendix
Letters of Permission
From: Caroline Kane <caroline.kane@eamdc.com>

Sent: June 19, 2019 3:30 PM
To: Youngjoon Koh <francois.koh@mail.utoronto.ca>
Subject: RE: Rodrigo CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ Permission to Use Copyrighted Material
in a Doctoral Thesis
Dear Mr. Koh:
This email will serve to revise and extend the term indicated in paragraph 2 of the permission
agreement dated September 6, 2018 (copy attached) for an additional eight (8) months, to the
following:
2. This permission is valid providing your doctoral dissertation is completed by June 1, 2020.
There will be no additional fee for this term extension.
With best wishes,
Caroline Kane
Caroline Kane
Vice President – Licensing & Administration

Schott Music Corp | EAMDC
254 West 31st Street, 15th Fl

New York, NY 10001
Direct: +1 212 461 6948
Fax: +1 212 810 4565
caroline.kane@eamdc.com
http://www.schott-music.com
http://www.eamdc.com
118
From: Youngjoon Koh <francois.koh@mail.utoronto.ca>

Sent: June 14, 2019 5:52 PM
To: Caroline Kane <caroline.kane@eamdc.com>
Subject: Re: Rodrigo CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ Permission to Use Copyrighted Material
Dear Ms. Kane, hope all is well with you.
I was wondering if you would be able to extend the permission period of the copyright materials.
( It ends Sep 6 2019.)
Now, I started to write the last chapter and the expected defense date will be at the beginning of
December.
( Everybody is on vacation now and the external committee member should have two month
reading time for my dissertation.)
In case of receiving a modification request from the committee, submitting the final dissertation
and making a hard copy could be done by February.
I would like to know if you could give me a six - month extra period which ends March 6 2020.
( I'm sure that the final submission will be done before March 6, but in case.)
I would be happy to pay the fee for the extended period.
Thank you for your consideration and please let me know your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Francois Koh
119

Sent: September 6, 2018 1:54 PM
To: Youngjoon Koh
Dear Mr. Koh:
Thank you for your e-mail of today.
Thank you for the information that you will include excerpts from the two scores. I do not need
the list of excerpts.
Attached please find the permission agreement for the use of excerpts from the two scores in
your dissertation. Would you please sign and return two copies of this document to us along
with your payment? I will then send you your copy of the agreement fully executed.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
With best wishes,
Caroline Kane
Caroline Kane
Vice President – Licensing & Administration

Schott Music Corp | EAMDC
254 West 31st Street, 15th Fl

New York, NY 10001
Direct: +1 212 461 6948
Fax: +1 212 810 4565
caroline.kane@eamdc.com
http://www.schott-music.com
http://www.eamdc.com

Sent: September 17, 2018 1:31:01 PM
To: Youngjoon Koh
120

Dear Mr. Koh:
Attached please find a copy of the permission agreement fully executed. I am sending to you by
mail today an original copy of the agreement fully executed.
With best wishes,
Caroline Kane
From: Youngjoon Koh

Sent: September 17, 2018 1:44 PM
To: Caroline Kane
Subject: Re: Rodrigo CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ Permission to Use Copyrighted Material
Dear Ms. Kane,
Thank you very much for sending me the signed agreement in PDF.
As soon as I finish my dissertation, I will send you a copy by mail.
Best regards,
Francois Koh

A Conductor's Guide To Joaquín

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A Conductor's Guide To Joaquín

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A Conductor’s Guide to

Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez

Youngjoon (François) Koh

A Dissertation submitted in conformity with the requirements

© Copyright by Youngjoon (François) Koh 2020

All rights reserved

INFORMATION TO ALL USERS

All Rights Reserved.

Youngjoon (François) Koh

Doctor of Musical Arts

This dissertation provides an analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez (1939) by Joaquín

encouragement of following professors. I would like to give my deepest appreciation to them.

conductor enabled me to continue and to complete this project.

Dr. Jeffrey McFadden, during the project, he supported me by advising guitar-related

suggestions at the defense.

Concierto de Aranjuez for my dissertation.

Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to a special person in my life.

Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................ vii

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ xi

List of Examples .......................................................................................................................... xii

List of Appendix ......................................................................................................................... xvi

1.1 Purpose and Objective of the Research ...........................................................................1

1.2 Research Questions ............................................................................................................3

1.3 Research Design and Methodologies ................................................................................3

1.4 Contribution of this Research ...........................................................................................5

Background Information for the Research ............................................................................5

2.1 History of the Classical Guitar .........................................................................................5

2.1.2 Romantic Era: Decline of the Guitar ...................................................................7

2.2 Joaquín Rodrigo and Concierto de Aranjuez ...................................................................8

2.3 The Guitar; Development and Extension of its Capacities ..........................................10

2.3.1 History of Guitar Construction ..........................................................................11

2.3.2 Use of Amplification ............................................................................................11

Chapter 2 Literature Review ......................................................................................................13

Chapter 3 Analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez: Movement 1 .....................................................44

3.1 Introduction: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-43)..............................................................................46

3.1.1 Theoretical Analysis: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25) ....................................................46

3.1.2 Conductor’s guide: m.1 to ②-1 (mm.1-25) ........................................................47

3.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ① to ② (mm.26-43) ........................................................49

3.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ① to ② (mm.26-43) ..........................................................49

3.2 Exposition (mm. 44-114)..................................................................................................50

3.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ② to ④ -1 (m.44-60) .......................................................50

3.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ② to ④-1 (mm.44-60) .......................................................51

3.2.3 Theoretical Analysis: ④ to ⑥+4 (mm.61-82) ....................................................53

3.2.4 Conductor’s Guide: ④ to 4a⑥+4 (mm.61-82) ..................................................53

3.2.5 Theoretical Analysis: 5a⑥ to 1b⑩ (mm. 83-114) .............................................54

3.3 Development: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) .........................................................................56

3.3.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) ................................................56

3.3.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑩ to ⑯-1 (mm.115-165) ..................................................57

3.4 Recapitulation: ⑯ to ㉒-1(mm.166-219) .......................................................................59

3.4.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219) ................................................59

3.4.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑯ to ㉒-1 (mm.166-219) ..................................................60

3.5 Coda: ㉒ to the End (mm.220-243).................................................................................61

3.5.1 Theoretical Analysis: (mm.220-243)...................................................................61

3.5.2 Conductor’s Guide: (mm.220-243) .....................................................................62

Chapter 4 Analysis of Concierto de Aranjuez: Movement 1 .....................................................64

Theoretical Analysis and Conductor’s Guide ......................................................................65

4.1 Part 1: m.1 to ⑤-1 (mm.1-25) .........................................................................................65

4.1.2 Conductor’s Guide: m.1 to ③-1 (mm.1-16) .......................................................66

4.1.3 Theoretical Analysis: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25) .....................................................69

4.1.4 Conductor’s Guide: ③ to ⑤-1 (mm.17-25) .......................................................70

4.2 Part 2: ⑤ to ⑪+3 (mm.57-83) ........................................................................................71

4.2.1 Theoretical Analysis: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36) ....................................................71

4.2.2 Conductor’s Guide: ⑤ to ⑦+3 (mm.26-36) ......................................................71