This recording, made in conjunction with a concert commemorating the 20th anniversary of the composer’s death in April 2019, provides a welcome opportunity to hear some of Rodrigo’s lesser-known orchestral works. The earliest of the pieces is Zarabanda lejana (‘Distant Saraband’), a wistful composition originally written for guitar in 1926 when Rodrigo was studying in Paris. In 1930 he scored the work for strings and added the Villancico, a festive and dancelike piece with a surprisingly variegated use of timbre for its short duration. Also scored for strings, the Dos Miniaturas andaluzas date from 1929 but remained unperformed for decades until finally receiving a premiere in 1999. Although little more than five minutes in duration, the Andalusian flavour of the work’s melodic and rhythmic inspiration is a delight and it’s a work that deserves to be far more widely known.

The Tres Viejos Aires de danza, scored in 1929 for chamber orchestra, have a distinctly neoclassical feel, although, as the informative booklet note explains, Rodrigo preferred the term ‘neocasticismo’. Also paying tribute to the past is Soleriana of 1953, an attractive suite of eight movements for chamber orchestra based on keyboard sonatas by Antonio Soler (1729-83), of which five movements are included here. Although the score allows for the work to be performed in partial form, it’s a pity that the opportunity wasn’t taken to record the remaining three movements. These are included on the Naxos recording by Maximiano Valdés, which remains unique in featuring the full suite. Having said that, Joan Enric Lluna’s performances on the new disc are wonderfully vibrant and idiomatic, and the recording, made in the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, allows everything to be heard with warmth and immediacy.