Let the Concierto de Aranjuez play all over the world
It's the most famous guitar work ever written, and it's named after a real place. For its composer's 125th anniversary we want to hear it from everywhere, played by you.
#ConciertoVivo125
One piece, one place
Joaquín Rodrigo was born in Sagunto on 22 November 1901 and lost his sight at the age of three. He wrote the Concierto de Aranjuez in Paris in 1939 for the guitarist Regino Sainz de la Maza, who premiered it in Barcelona in 1940.
Its slow movement, the Adagio, has been reworked in jazz, flamenco and pop, and millions recognise it from the first bar. Rodrigo set out to evoke the gardens of Aranjuez: the scent of magnolias, birdsong and the water of the fountains. His wife, the pianist Victoria Kamhi, later said the music also recalled the happy days of their honeymoon and their grief over a child they lost.
Rodrigo died in Madrid on 6 July 1999. He is buried in the cemetery of Aranjuez, beside Victoria.
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How to take part
- 1
Record
An excerpt of the Concierto de Aranjuez, 60 seconds at most. On guitar or any instrument, solo or in a group, professional or beginner.
- 2
Post
Upload it to your Instagram, TikTok or YouTube account with #ConciertoVivo125, say which city you're playing from, and tag @turismoaranjuez.es.
- 3
We share it
We'll share performances on our profiles, always credited, and on 22 November 2026 we'll publish a selection here.
The small print, in large type
- You post on your own account. We don't host videos: we share or link to public posts and always credit their author.
- We'll ask you by message before including your video on this website.
- The Concierto de Aranjuez is still under copyright. Posting your performance on a social network is governed by that platform’s terms.
- If children appear, a parent or guardian must post it.
- It's not a contest: there are no prizes or judges.