Escolania de Montserrat

Escolania de Montserrat
Seat:	Montserrat , Barcelona Province , Catalonia
Carrier:	Montserrat Monastery
Founding:	1307
Genus:	Boys' choir
Head :	Llorenç Castelló i Garriga
Voices :	approx. 50
Website :	http://www.escolania.cat

The Escolania del monestir de Montserrat is the boys' choir of the Montserrat Monastery near Barcelona , Catalonia . The choir was first mentioned in a document in 1307. The choir consists of around 50 boys aged 9 to 14, mainly from Catalan-speaking areas of Spain.

activities

The boys' musical training lasts four years. During this time, the musical arrangement of part of the monastic liturgies is one of her tasks. The choir in the basilica of the monastery sings a Salve Regina and the Virolai every day at the time of the Salve (1 p.m.) , and the Salve of Montserrat at Vespers (6:45 p.m.) (some stanzas in the style of the Gregorian chant and others of different Composers set to music, for example Palestrina ) and a motet . The school also includes a male choral schola , which cultivates Gregorian chant , as well as several instrumental ensembles.

The boys receive a sound musical education, which primarily includes voice training and music teaching . In addition, they learn to play the piano as well as a second instrument of their own choice.

The choir has recorded more than 100 CDs and toured worldwide (Japan, Canada, Israel, France, Austria, Germany and others). The repertoire consists mainly of Iberian choral music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods , classical music from the Montserrat School, works by the great composers of the Romantic period ( Franz Schubert , Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy , Johannes Brahms and others) as well as contemporary music (by Benjamin Britten , Zoltán Kodály , Petr Eben and Vic Nees )

history

The name under which the choir is known around the world today actually refers to the music school of the monastery , whose tradition dates back to at least the 12th century. It is known as the School of Montserrat ( Escola Montserratina in Catalan) and is considered the oldest music school in Europe. Many famous composers and musicians emerged from it, e. B. Joan March , Joan Cererols , Josep Martí , Benet Julià , Anselm Viola , Narcís Casanoves , Antonio Soler , Fernando Sor and more recently Àngel Rodamilans , Anselm Ferrer , Ireneu Segarra i Malla , Odiló Planàs , Cassià Just and Gregori Estrada .

Choir director (since the 20th century)

1889–1909: Joan Baptista Guzmán i Martínez (1846–1909)
1911–1933: Anselm Ferrer (1882–1969)
1933–1936: Àngel Rodamilans (1874–1936)
1939–1953: David Pujol (1894–1979)
1953–1997: Ireneu Segarra i Malla (1917–2005)
1998–2001: Jordi-Agustí Piqué i Collado (* 1963)
2001–2007: Joaquim Piqué i Calvo (* 1970)
2007-2014: Bernat Vivancos i Farràs (* 1973)
since 2014: Llorenç Castelló (* 1976)

Web links

Individual evidence

^ Sor in the Montserrat monastery. In: Collection of historical sources: Sor. (from Encylopédie Pittoresque de la Musique. Ed. by A. Ledhuy and H. Bertini, Paris 1835) Translated and edited by Wolf Moser. In: Guitar & Laute 1, 1979, issue 2, p. 27 f., And issue 3, pp. 18-20, here: issue 3, pp. 18-20

[1] Sor in the Montserrat monastery. In: Collection of historical sources: Sor. (from Encylopédie Pittoresque de la Musique. Ed. by A. Ledhuy and H. Bertini, Paris 1835) Translated and edited by Wolf Moser. In: Guitar & Laute 1, 1979, issue 2, p. 27 f., And issue 3, pp. 18-20, here: issue 3, pp. 18-20