The project explores unseen spaces of the Basilica and analyzes their sound possibilities, in collaboration with L’Auditori, ESMUC, the Palau de la Música Catalana, and the Gran Teatre del Liceu.
The Sagrada Familia will begin on October 15 the cycle of musical tests called 'Resonances', a project aimed at exploring unseen spaces of the Basilica to analyze their sound possibilities. The project is carried out in collaboration with L'Auditori, the Catalonia College of Music (ESMUC), the Palau de la Música Catalana, and the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and consists of three musical tests that will take place in October, November, and December of 2024.
The musical tests will have a reduced audience made up of faculty, technical staff, and programmers from the four collaborating musical institutions: L'Auditori, ESMUC, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and the Palau de la Música Catalana. After each test, an evaluation will be conducted to draw conclusions for the future.
First test with sacred polyphony repertoire from the 17th century
On Tuesday, October 15, at 8:30 PM, the first test will take place at the interior facades of the Passion and Nativity. Sacred polyphony works from the 16th and 17th centuries will be performed, directed by Xavier Pastrana, for choir, instrumental ensemble, and positive organ. Among others, works by J. Cererols, J. C. Kerll, G. Allegri, G. Frescobaldi, M. A. Charpentier, and A. Bonelli will be performed.
The crossing hall will host a saxophone quartet
On November 5, the second acoustic test will take place in the crossing hall, with a saxophone quartet performing original works and transcriptions for saxophones by A. Pärt, B. Vivancos, J. S. Bach, F. Mendelssohn, and G. Ligeti.
A choir of treble voices at the Tower of Mary will conclude the tests
The final musical test will be on December 3 inside the Basilica, specifically in the Presbytery, with the children's choir and tribunes at 30 and 45 meters under the Tower of Mary. It will be conducted by the Orfeó Català Girls' Choir, accompanied by solo soprano Marta Mathéu and the presbytery organ played by Mar Vaqué; directed by Montserrat Meneses. They will perform anonymous 14th-century works as well as pieces by Antoni Nicolau, J.G. Rheinberger, F. Mompou, B. Britten, and F. Mendelssohn.