Joaquín Rodrigo

In his Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra written in 1939, Joaquín Rodrigo made allusions to the beauty of the extensive Baroque gardens of the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, the historical summer residence of the Spanish royal family. The work in three movements enjoyed an astoundingly triumphant success throughout international concert halls and was adopted as a particular favourite of both musicians and audiences. In 1974, Rodrigo made an arrangement of the Concierto for harp and orchestra.

Rodrigo was buried in a memorial grave in the palace park in 1999 as the most significant Spanish composer of his generation who had also made the name Aranjuez famous throughout the entire world.