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Birth of Pau Casals

el Vendrell, Baix Penedès, Tarragona

1 Villages · 12 Monuments · 1 Nature · 3 Activities · 3 Historical milestones · 1 Food and drink

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Birth of Pau Casals

Historical milestone · el Vendrell, Baix Penedès, Tarragona

Pau Casals i Defilló was born in el Vendrell on 29 December 1876, the son of the parish organist, and died in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 22 October 1973. A cellist, teacher, conductor and composer, he renewed the technique of the instrument, turning it into a great solo instrument, a change that all cellists would later adopt; his performance of El cant dels ocells became a symbol of peace and freedom, and in particular of Catalan Modernism. He revived Bach's suites for the concert repertoire and, after going into exile in 1939, made his music a public defence of democracy, refusing to play in countries that recognised the Francoist regime. Called by Fritz Kreisler the king of the bow, he was one of the great musicians of the 20th century.

1876

Photo: Enric (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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