Tres piezas españolas
by Joaquín Rodrigo
Written in 1954 for Andrés Segovia and premiered by him the same year, the Tres piezas españolas is one of Rodrigo's most important works for guitar solo. The three movements evoke different facets of Spanish musical heritage: the Fandango crackles with flamenco energy and hand-clapping rhythms; the Passacaglia presents a dark, noble theme with increasingly ornate variations; the Zapateado is a dance of irresistible rhythmic vitality. Rodrigo, who was blind from the age of three, composed the entire work by dictating it in Braille notation — a remarkable achievement of musical imagination. Together with the Aranjuez, it stands at the apex of his guitar output.
Movements
Editions
Max Eschig
Andrés Segovia, 1954
Original Eschig publication prepared with Segovia's collaboration; the standard performance edition.
Max Eschig
Revised edition, 1985
Revised Eschig edition with corrected errata; the current in-print version.