Mompou in Barcelona

While visiting Barcelona in January, I was lucky enough to visit the Fundació Frederic Mompou, based in the composer’s own apartment situated just a few doors up from Gaudi’s La Pedrera on the Passeig de Gràcia. The foundation was established in 2006 by the Catalan pianist Carme Bravo (1919-2007), who was also the composer’s wife. For the uninitiated, Mompou’s simple apartment doesn’t seem like much. For those in the know, it’s not too far away from a spiritual experience.

We were warmly welcomed by one of the foundation’s curators, Berta Milà, who was kind enough to show me all sorts of musical riches. I was particularly excited to see the manuscript copy of ‘El lago’ from Paisajes, which is one of my favourite piano pieces of the twentieth century; the detailed penmanship betrays the deep introspection the composer gave to every measure. We also had a brief chat with the pianist and Mompou expert Adolph Pla, who kindly gifted me his book—and accompanying CD of the complete works for piano—’El eterno recomenzar’. Although I don’t speak or read Catalan, I’m making some sense of it!

I was particularly moved by a drawing of a small chapel which reappears throughout Mompou’s manuscripts as a representation of the idea of hermitage, an idea found musical expression in ‘L’ermita’ from Pessebres. The church is an imagined space to which Mompou retreated during his compositional process.

I have played many pieces by Mompou, but this experience felt like only the beginning of my relationship with this warm and gentle musical figure. Georgie and I will be performing ‘L’hora grisa’, the composer’s first ever song, as part of the Oxford Song young artist auditions, possibly for the first time in the UK since a 1931 performance by Conchita Supervia and Miklos Schwalb at the Royal Albert Hall, although I could easily be wrong here! Nonetheless, I hope we make the composer proud…