A CHRONOLOGICAL VIEW OF WESTERN MUSIC HISTORY IN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD EVENTS

Joaquín Rodrigo

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February 16, 1927: Cinco piezas infantiles for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (25) are performed for the first time, in Teatro Principal, Valencia.
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January 20, 1930: Tres viejos aires de danza for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (28) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Principal, Valencia.
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April 4, 1930: Serranilla for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (28) to words of the Marqués de Santillana is performed for the first time, in Ville de Chatellerault, France.
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May 1, 1930: Preludio para un poema a la Alhambra for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (28) is performed for the first time, in the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris.
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January 19, 1933: Joaquín Rodrigo (31) marries Victoria Kamhi, a professional pianist and daughter of a Turkish drug manufacturer, in Valencia.
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March 9, 1939: Cuatro piezas para piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (37) are performed for the first time, in Paris by the composer.
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November 9, 1940: Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (38) is performed for the first time, in Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona.
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December 17, 1940: Fino cristal for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (39) to words of Rodríguez Pinto is performed for the first time, in Teatro de la Comedia, Madrid.
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April 3, 1943: Concierto heroico for piano and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (41) is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlos, Lisbon. It is a popular and critical success.
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April 16, 1944: Concierto de estio for violin and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (42) is performed for the first time, in Teatro San Carlos, Lisbon.
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May 27, 1945: Dos piezas caballerescas for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (43) is performed for the first time, in the Ataneo de Madrid.
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January 8, 1946: Capriccio (Ofrenda a Pablo Sarasate) for violin by Joaquín Rodrigo (44) is performed for the first time, in Madrid.
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May 22, 1946: El duende azul, an operetta by Joaquín Rodrigo (44) to words of Castell and Villaseca, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Calderón, Madrid.
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February 4, 1948: Cuatro madrigales amatorios, a cycle for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (46) to anonymous words, is performed for the first time, in Circulo Medina, Madrid, the composer at the piano. Also premiered is Rodrigo’s Barcarola for voice and piano to words of Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo), the poet at the piano.
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February 5, 1948: Joaquín Rodrigo (46) begins teaching his music history course at the University of Madrid.
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April 5, 1948: Romance del Comendador de Ocaña for soprano and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (46) to words of Lope de Vega, is performed for the first time, in Teatro Español, Madrid.
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April 12, 1948: Joaquín Rodrigo (46) is awarded the Cervantes Grand Prize for his tone poem Ausencias de Dulcinea. See 19 April 1948.
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April 19, 1948: Ausencias de Dulcinea for bass-baritone, four sopranos, and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (46) to words of Cervantes is performed for the first time, in Teatro Español, Madrid.
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April 4, 1949: Concerto in modo galante for cello and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (47) is performed for the first time, in Palacio de la Música, Madrid.
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August 26, 1949: Joaquín Rodrigo (47) and his wife sail from Bilbao aboard the SS Monte Udala making for Buenos Aires.
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September 16, 1949: Joaquín Rodrigo (47) and his wife arrive in Buenos Aires from Bilbao after a stop in Montevideo.
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November 4, 1949: After a triumphant six-week tour of Argentina, Joaquín Rodrigo (47) and his wife board ship in Buenos Aires to return to Spain.
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October 30, 1950: Romancillo (Por mayo era, por mayo) for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (48) to anonymous words is performed for the first time, in Teatro de la Comedia, Madrid.
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January 20, 1951: ¡Un home, San Antonio! for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (49) to words of Rosalía de Castro is performed for the first time, in Orense.
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March 30, 1951: Primavera for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (49) to words of Fernández Shaw is performed for the first time, in Teatro Gran Via, Salamanca.
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November 18, 1951: Joaquín Rodrigo (49) is invested into the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, in Madrid. For the occasion he plays the premiere of his Sonatas de Castilla for piano.
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April 8, 1952: Cuatro estampas andaluzas for piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (50) are performed for the first time, in Valencia.
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May 3, 1952: Doce canciones españolas for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (50) is performed for the first time, in the Ataneo de Madrid. Also premiered is Rodrigo’s Dos canciones sefardies del siglo XV for chorus to anonymous words.
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May 13, 1952: The Manuel de Falla(†5) chair in the History of Music in the University of Madrid is created. The professorship is first held by Joaquín Rodrigo (50) until 1978.
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May 15, 1952: El álbum de Cecilia for piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (50) is performed for the first time, in Circulo Cultural Medina, Madrid by the composer’s daughter, Cecilia.
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August 22, 1953: Soleriana for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (51) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
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October 12, 1953: Música para un códice salmantino, a cantata for bass, chorus, and eleven instruments by Joaquín Rodrigo (51) to words of Miguel de Unamuno, is performed for the first time, at the University of Salamanca.
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June 8, 1954: Incidental music to Pemán and Sánchez-Castañer’s play La destrucción de Sagunto by Joaquín Rodrigo (52) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Romano, Sagunto.
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November 2, 1955: Incidental music to Rostand’s play Cyrano de Bergerac by Joaquín Rodrigo (53) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Español, Madrid.
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December 19, 1955: Pavana Real, a ballet by Joaquín Rodrigo (54) to a story by Victoria Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo), is performed for the first time, in the Gran Teatro del Liceo, Barcelona.
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November 9, 1956: Concierto serenata for harp and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (54) is performed for the first time, in Palacio de la Música, Madrid.
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March 16, 1957: Joaquín Rodrigo (55) and his wife arrive in Caracas for the second Latin American Music Festival. Also attending are Virgil Thomson (60) and Aaron Copland (56).
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April 13, 1957: Joaquín Rodrigo (55) and his wife fly from Caracas to San Juan, Puerto Rico to attend the Pablo Casals Festival.
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October 5, 1957: Incidental music to Seneca’s (tr. Pemán) play Tiestes by Joaquín Rodrigo (55) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Español, Madrid.
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February 23, 1958: Música para un jardin for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (56) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Ruzafa, Valencia.
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March 5, 1958: Fantasía para un gentilhombre for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (56) is performed for the first time, in the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco.
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June 10, 1959: Aria antigua for flute and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (57) is performed for the first time, in Circulo Cultural Medina, Madrid. See 18 December 1994 and 21 February 1996.
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June 6, 1960: Joaquín Rodrigo (58) is awarded the Order of Officier des Arts et Lettres by the French government.
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May 12, 1962: Invocatión y danza (Homenaje a Manuel de Falla) for guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (60) is performed for the first time, in Château de la Brède, France. Also premiered is Rodrigo’s La grotte for voice and piano to words of Emié.
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December 19, 1962: Dos poemas de Juan Ramón Jiménez for voice and flute by Joaquín Rodrigo (61) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Principale, Valencia.
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April 6, 1963: Cánticos nupciales for three sopranos and organ by Joaquín Rodrigo (61) to words of the Bible, is performed for the first time, in the Church of the City University, Madrid.
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August 10, 1963: Joaquín Rodrigo (61) and his wife fly to Puerto Rico from Spain. He is to give a course in music history at the University of Rio Piedras.
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February 3, 1964: Joaquín Rodrigo (62) and his wife arrive in Madrid from Puerto Rico where he just completed teaching a course in music history at the University of Rio Piedras.
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February 26, 1964: Joaquín Rodrigo (62) undergoes an operation for a hernia, in Madrid. He will recover.
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May 22, 1964: The University of Salamanca confers an honorary doctorate on Joaquín Rodrigo (62).
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December 5, 1964: El hijo fingido, a zarzuela by Joaquín Rodrigo (63) to words of Arozamena and Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo) after Lope de Vega, is performed for the first time, in Teatro de la Zarzuela, Madrid.
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April 15, 1965: Himnos de los neófitos de Qumrán for three sopranos, male chorus, and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (63) to words of the Dead Sea Scrolls adapted by Victoria Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo) is performed for the first time, in Iglesia de San Miguel, Cuenca.
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July 29, 1965: Rosaliana for soprano and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (63) to words of Rosalia de Castro is performed for the first time, in La Coruña.
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November 18, 1965: Cuatro canciones sefardies for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (63) to anonymous words is performed for the first time, in the Ataneo de Madrid.
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February 26, 1966: Sonata pimpante for violin and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (64) is performed for the first time, in Cercle Gaulois, Brussels.
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April 21, 1966: Joaquín Rodrigo (64) is invested with the Grand Cross of Civil Merit by the Spanish government.
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June 22, 1966: Dos danzas españolas for castanets and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (64) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Pérez Galdós, Las Palmas, Canary Islands.
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November 18, 1967: Concierto andaluz for four guitars and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (65) is performed for the first time, in San Antonio.
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March 15, 1968: Cantos de amor y de guerra for soprano and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (66) to anonymous words, are performed for the first time, at the Ministry of Information and Tourism, Madrid.
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May 30, 1969: Sonata a la española for guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (67) is performed for the first time, in Teatro dell’Opera, Rome.
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July 30, 1970: Concierto madrigal for two guitars and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (68) is performed for the first time, in Hollywood Bowl.
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December 22, 1970: Villancicos y canciones de Navidad for soprano, baritone, chorus, and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (69) to words of Victoria Kamhi (Sra. Rodrigo) is performed for the first time, in Iglesia de San Marcelo, León.
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October 4, 1971: Con Antonio Machado for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (69) is performed for the first time, in Salón Carlos V, Seville.
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June 9, 1972: Pájaros de primavera for guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (70) is performed for the first time, in Japan.
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August 24, 1974: Concierto de Aranjuez, transcribed for harp and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (72), is performed for the first time, in Teatro Victoria Eugenia, San Sebastián.
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July 24, 1975: Incidental music to Blasco Ibáñez’ play Sónnica, la cortesana by Joaquín Rodrigo (73) is performed for the first time, in Teatro Romano de Sagunto, Valencia.
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May 11, 1977: Sonata a la breve for cello and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (75) is performed for the first time, in Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona.
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March 27, 1978: A la busca del más allá for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (76) is performed for the first time, in Jones Hall, Houston. The work was composed to honor the NASA astronauts and the bicentennial of American independence.
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June 1, 1978: Joaquín Rodrigo (76) is enrolled in the Royal Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Fine Arts of Belgium to fill the vacancy left by the death of Benjamin Britten (†1).
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October 17, 1978: Concerto pastoral for flute and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (76) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.
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March 17, 1981: Como una fantasía for cello by Joaquín Rodrigo (79) is performed for the first time, in Sala Netzahuacoyotl, Mexico City. Later, a fire breaks out in the Mexico City hotel where the composer and his wife are staying. They manage to make it to the elevator but find it not working. Finally, two maids arrive in a freight elevator and guide them to safety. They lose most of their belongings but are unhurt.
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April 15, 1982: Concierto como un divertimento for cello and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (80) is performed for the first time, in Royal Festival Hall, London.
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November 30, 1982: Palillos y panderetas for orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (81) is performed for the first time, in Centro Cultural de la Villa, Madrid.
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January 19, 1983: Tres evocaciones (Homenaje a Joaquín Turina) for piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (81) is performed for the first time, in Seville to celebrate the centennial of Turina’s (†34) birth.
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March 5, 1983: Concerto para una fiesta for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (81) is performed for the first time, in Ridglea Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas.
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May 13, 1983: Joaquín Rodrigo (81) is awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Southern California.
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December 7, 1983: Serenata al alba del día for flute and guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (82) is performed for the first time, in the Ambassador Auditorium, Los Angeles.
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March 15, 1986: Cántico de San Francisco de Asís for chorus and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (84) is performed for the first time, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.
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October 10, 1987: ¡Qué buen caminito! for guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (85) is performed for the first time, in Seville.
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January 13, 1988: Two songs for voice and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (86) to words of Calderón are performed for the first time, in Centro Cultural de la Villa, Madrid: Arbol and ¿Por qué te llamaré?
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January 28, 1988: Atardecer for piano-four hands by Joaquín Rodrigo (86) is performed for the first time, in Aula de Cultura, Aranjuez.
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March 21, 1988: Preludio de añoranza for piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (86) is performed for the first time, in Escuela Superior de Canto, Madrid.
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May 31, 1988: Joaquín Rodrigo (86) is awarded an honorary doctorate by the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
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July 6, 1989: The University Complutense of Madrid confers an honorary doctorate on Joaquín Rodrigo (87).
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June 14, 1990: Joaquín Rodrigo (88) is awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Exeter.
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July 17, 1990: Líricas castellanas for soprano, recorder, cornetto, and vihuela by Joaquín Rodrigo (88) to anonymous words are performed for the first time, at San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid.
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March 7, 1991: Rincones de España for guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo (89) is performed for the first time, in Lincoln Center, New York.
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November 19, 1993: Juglares for piano-four hands by Joaquín Rodrigo (91) is performed for the first time, in Barcelona 70 years after it was composed.
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March 2, 1994: Set cançons valencianes for viola and piano by Joaquín Rodrigo (92) are performed for the first time, in Madrid.
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December 18, 1994: Aria antigua for flute and guitar by Joaquín Rodrigo (93) is performed for the first time, in Madrid. See 10 June 1959 and 21 February 1996.
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February 21, 1996: Aria antigua for recorder and claves by Joaquín Rodrigo (94) is performed for the first time, in Madrid. See 10 June 1959 and 18 December 1994.