Adelaide Festival. 3 March 2023
The School of Montserrat is associated with the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat and is one of the oldest musical schools in Europe with a history going back to the 13 Century – the monastery was established in 1025. Escolania is also the appellation for the boys’ choir comprised of primary school-aged students. It’s a popular day trip from Barcelona in Catalonia to visit the abbey and the surrounding national park and mountains, and to hear the midday rendition of Salve Regina or other concert events. Indeed, the fifty boys of the Escolania – aged 9 to 14 – perform 450 times a year. All the students receive three hours of musical education every day and participate in daily prayer. Numerous graduates have become composers and performers including within the Escola Musical Monserratina.
Looking a bit bewildered, the best forty boys of the Escolania march down the central aisle and onto the stage of Adelaide Town Hall for their Australian premiere. Conductor Llorenç Castelló leads the best forty boys of the Escolania through a program of devotional music followed in the second half of the hour by whimsical Catalan folk songs, sung poems and an example of the sardana, a typical Catalan dance. The boys never seem to relax – poor things – and move uncertainly to the conductor’s ample signals for rearrangements of the choir to suit the various pieces and in the good practice of accepting the copious applause of the highly appreciative audience.
Each song was a heaven to listen to. One is caressed into meditative compliance only to be alerted as if from a dream by soaring solo sopranos ascending above the chorus. The program includes familiar work like Magnificant and Ave Maria. There is the daily-sung Salve Regina, and the concert opened with a Gregorian chant as the boys made their way to the stage. The program includes compositions and arrangements by Escolania graduates. The training and hard work of the boys and their mentors are evident in the accurate intonation, timing and sensitivity. Accompanist Mercè Sanchis mastered Town Hall’s giant organ and Steinway.
I can’t believe I’ve been to Barcelona and didn’t know about this school, so I look forward to one day visiting these mountains and monastery and once again hearing the beautiful music devotion to the Virgin Mary has inspired. Bravo!
David Grybowski
When: 3 to 5 Mar
Where: Adelaide Town Hall
Bookings: adelaidefestival.com.au
