The Sound of Casals’ Homeland
The unique voice of Catalonia’s original ensemble — presenting music by Pau Casals
150TH ANNIVERSARY OF PAU CASALS (1876–2026)
Pau Casals is universally regarded as one of the great musicians of the 20th century: a cellist of global stature, a conductor, and a lifelong advocate for peace and human dignity.
Beyond his international career, Casals was also deeply rooted in his own cultural tradition. The sardana —Catalonia’s national dance— occupied a central place in his artistic universe, and he himself composed several sardanes, describing them as “one of the most important elements of our cultural heritage.”
This dual dimension —that of a universal artist and a composer profoundly connected to his homeland— inspires Cobla Sant Jordi to present the cobla as Casals understood it: a singular orchestral voice, capable of speaking from a strong cultural identity while engaging in dialogue with the wider world.
THE PROJECT
This concert project is a tribute to Pau Casals on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth, offering an international perspective on a central yet less widely known aspect of his musical legacy: his relationship with the sardana and with the cobla, conceived as fully developed concert forms.
At the core of the programme are four sardanes composed by Casals at different moments of his life, revealing how he approached this genre with formal ambition, expressive depth, and a clear universal outlook.
These works are presented in dialogue with music by composers from his close artistic circle as well as with contemporary creations, positioning the cobla as a singular concert ensemble rather than a folkloric one.
Conceived in two parts but equally effective as a continuous performance, the project is designed for major concert venues and for audiences open to discovering new sonorities within today’s classical repertoire.
PROGRAMME (CURATED HIGHLIGHTS)
Works by Pau Casals
The core of the programme consists of four sardanes composed by Pau Casals at different moments of his life — from his early years to exile — revealing his artistic evolution and his conception of the sardana as a fully developed musical form, conceived for the concert stage.
• Festívola (1908)
• Sardana del Pelegrí (1927)
• Sant Martí del Canigó (1943)
• Sardana en Do (1943)
Casals’ creative circle
Works by composers closely connected to Casals — family members, collaborators, and friends — outline the musical, human, and aesthetic environment in which he worked and with which he maintained a continuous artistic dialogue.
• Heroica (1919) — Enric Casals
• La fageda d’en Jordà (1925) — Eduard Toldrà
• Llicorella (1911) & A en Pau Casals (1913) — Juli Garreta
• El Testament d’Amèlia (1906) — Joan Lamote de Grignon
• Esplais (1931) — Joaquim Serra
Contemporary voices
The programme also embraces contemporary creation, projecting this legacy into the 21st century and demonstrating the ongoing expressive vitality of the cobla as a concert ensemble.
• El somni de la princesa Nerídia (2005) — Marc Timón
• Dotze lustres (2006) — Xavier Pagès-Corella
• Variants de color (2002) — Joan Albert Amargós
Signature moment
El cant dels ocells (arr. Enric Ortí) — Casals’ universal song of exile and peace, newly arranged for cobla, bringing his most emblematic melody into the ensemble’s original Catalan timbre.
WHAT IS A COBLA?
The cobla is Catalonia’s traditional instrumental ensemble, created at the end of the 19th century and defined by a unique combination of double-reed winds, brass, double bass and a single small drum. While historically associated with the sardana dance, the cobla has developed a highly distinctive sound world and a substantial concert repertoire.
Throughout the 20th century, composers such as Pau Casals, Juli Garreta or Eduard Toldrà conceived the cobla not as folklore, but as a fully-fledged concert ensemble, capable of symphonic thinking, refined timbre and large-scale musical form. Today, leading composers continue to expand this repertoire, placing the cobla in dialogue with contemporary classical creation.
In this project, the cobla is presented as Pau Casals understood it: a singular orchestral voice, rooted in a specific cultural tradition yet fully able to speak to international audiences.
COBLA SANT JORDI - CIUTAT DE BARCELONA
Cobla Sant Jordi is a professional concert ensemble and has held the title of official cobla of the city of Barcelona since 1997. Founded in 1983 with the aim of exploring the full artistic potential of the cobla, the ensemble has played a key role in bringing this unique Catalan formation from its traditional context into major concert halls.
The ensemble has performed at leading venues such as the Palau de la Música Catalana, L’Auditori de Barcelona and the Auditori de Girona, as well as at international festivals and concert halls across France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Mexico. In November 2025, Cobla Sant Jordi made its debut at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, where the concert was presented to a sold-out hall, marking a decisive milestone in its international trajectory. Later in 2025, the ensemble presented this artistic line in Mexico, with two concerts that confirmed the project’s strong resonance beyond Europe.
The ensemble’s artistic excellence has been recognised with major awards, including the Barcelona City Award, Altaveu Award, Enderrock Award, and Alícia Award, and through collaborations with leading conductors such as Josep Pons, Antoni Ros Marbà, and Joan Albert Amargós. Since 2025, Cobla Sant Jordi has been led by its
principal conductor Miquel Massana, opening a new artistic phase that combines historical repertoire with contemporary creation.
With this project dedicated to Pau Casals, Cobla Sant Jordi reaffirms its mission: to present the cobla as a fully-fledged concert ensemble, capable of engaging international audiences while remaining deeply rooted in Catalan musical culture.
OPTIONAL OUTREACH ACTIVITY
As an optional complement to the concert, the project can include an open sardana dance event or introductory workshop on the day before the performance. This participatory activity reveals the social and communal dimension of the sardana and provides cultural context for the concert repertoire. Successfully presented alongside the concert at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, this format has proven effective in audience development, broadening interest and deepening engagement with the project.
TARGET AUDIENCE & CONTEXT
The project is addressed to classical and contemporary music audiences, as well as to curious listeners open to discovering new sound worlds.
It is particularly well suited to programming contexts labelled as Classical World Music, bridging strong musical identity with international concert practice.
TECHNICAL RIDER (BRIEF)
Ensemble
• 11 musicians + conductor
• Tour/production manager
Duration
• Approx. 90 minutes (with intermission) / 75 minutes (without intermission)
Stage requirements
• 10 chairs + 1 stool (double bass)
• 12 music stands (including conductor)
Sound & lighting
• No musical amplification required
• One microphone for spoken introductions (optional)
• Standard concert lighting
Spoken introductions
• Catalan, Spanish, French, English, Italian or German
PRODUCTION CONTACT
Sergi Marquilles smarquilles@coblasantjordi.cat +34 622 810 974