Fri 16 Apr 2021
Music I’m Listening To: JoaquÃn Rodrigo’s Concierto d’Aranjuez
Posted by Steve under Music I'm Listening To[8] Comments
The clip below is taken from the British film Brassed Off (1996), starring Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald and Ewan McGregor.
From Wikipedia: “The film is about the troubles faced by a colliery brass band, following the closure of their pit. The soundtrack for the film was provided by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, and the plot is based on Grimethorpe’s own struggles against pit closures.”
Through the magic of movie making, the flugelhorn solo was by Paul Hughes, not by Tara Fitzgerald’s character, Gloria Mullins.
April 16th, 2021 at 1:16 pm
A wonderful film, with a moving rendition of “Danny Boy.”
April 16th, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Yes. Both the music and the cast are absolutely delightful. Once seen, you’ll never forget it.
The movie is available on DVD, but not online, based on a quick Google search.
April 16th, 2021 at 7:10 pm
Long a favorite composition of mine. Glad to see it recommended and savored by others.
Joachim Rodrigo, blind from birth as I recall; but one of the composers who made the guitar a respectable instrument in the classical world.
But I’m not quite what a rich, Spanish orchestral work like this, is doing in a story about the Brit working class? There must be a reason of course.
April 16th, 2021 at 7:19 pm
If it helps to point this out, the miners called the piece “Orange Juice.”
https://www.classicfm.com/composers/rodrigo/music/concierto-de-aranjuez/
And coming across that link, I just learned that the song takes up a large portion of Miles Davis’s SKETCHES OF SPAIN album. I don’t know why I didn’t know that. I think I played that particular LP a zillion times, over and over, back in my college dorm days.
I think I’ll play it again tonight, but on CD now, of course.
April 16th, 2021 at 7:21 pm
As for “Danny Boy,” here it is:
April 17th, 2021 at 5:49 pm
Steve,
It is good to see you including classical music in your picks!
April 17th, 2021 at 11:41 pm
There are depths to me that even I haven’t plumbed yet, Mike.
April 17th, 2021 at 11:50 pm
Track one: