The Palau de la Música Catalana: Harmony of Music and Palace Architecture.
The Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music) is an architectural gem of Catalan modernism, built between 1905 and 1908 according to the design of the renowned architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. The palace, which can be visited during your Barcelona tour, was established as the headquarters for the Orfeó Català choir and funded through public subscription, reflecting the dedication and support of the people of Catalonia. The building is located in Barcelona’s Sant Pere district, in Ciutat Vella, one of the most beautiful areas of the city.
Concert Auditorium
In 1971, the Palau de la Música Catalana was declared a national monument, and in 1997, the auditorium was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming the only modernist concert hall to earn this prestigious recognition.
Orfeó Català was founded in 1891 by Lluís Millet and Amadeu Vives and is one of the most renowned choirs in Catalonia, as well as a key symbol of Catalan musical culture. Its founders initiated the construction of the Palau de la Música Catalana, intended to become the choir’s permanent home and a cultural center for Barcelona. Since its inception, this choir has aimed to promote the repertoire of both Catalan and international choral music, distinguished by its artistic excellence.
How does music harmonize with the architecture of the palace to create a cohesive experience?
The Palau de la Música Catalana was designed with concerts in mind, blending unique architecture with a passion for music. The concert halls are carefully adapted to different types of music, enriched with symbolic elements that adorn every interior, creating a unique atmosphere.
Majestic white organ
The main attraction of the Palau de la Música Catalana, drawing crowds with both its exceptional concerts and stunning architecture, is the impressive concert hall. Considered one of the most unique in the world, it has been the heart of Barcelona’s musical life for over a century – a stage for national and international performances and the site of world premieres.
Upon entering the Concert Auditorium from the first floor, the dim corridor suddenly gives way to an incredible space filled with light and color. Stained glass from floor to ceiling wraps around the balconies on the first and second floors in patterns reminiscent of plates, while columns adorned with colorful mosaics harmonize with the ceiling, decorated with pink and white ceramics in the shape of roses. Higher up in the hall’s arches, one can see semicircular mosaics featuring vibrant turkey feathers.
At the center of the ceiling rises an impressive skylight, created by Antoni Rigalt i Blanch, resembling an inverted sun – a golden center surrounded by glass in delicate shades of blue and white, adorned with female busts. This skylight bathes the hall in natural light. Above the entire hall, majestic white organ pipes, with over 3,000 tubes, dominate the entire hall.
Beneath the organ, in the wall surrounding the stage, one can find one of the most original works of modernism: a circle of eighteen muses, created by sculptor Eusebi Arnau and mosaic artist Lluís Bru. The muses represent an allegory of universal music, symbolizing music from different eras and parts of the world, forming a grand universal orchestra. Dressed in the attire of the cultures they represent, the muses stand in a semicircle, playing various instruments like the zither, flute, and tambourine.
The bust of Anselm Clavé
The bust of Beethoven
On either side of the stage are works by sculptor Diego Massana (continued by a young Pablo Gargallo). To the left is the bust of Anselm Clavé, who advocated for choirs as an art form accessible to all social classes. He represents Catalan folk music: a large willow surrounds Clavé’s bust, and at its base is a reference to the famous Catalan song “Les flors de maig” (“The Flowers of May”). On the other side is a bust of Beethoven, symbolizing classical and modern music, or international music. Classicism is represented by Beethoven’s bust between two columns of a Doric temple, symbolizing the foundations of Western culture.
From the ceiling, charging Valkyries emerge above the stage’s arch, symbolizing the dramatic character of Wagner’s music and adding unique energy to the scene. The Valkyries, characters from Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelung”, represent here the modern, expressive music of the 19th century that Wagner developed in his dramatic compositions.
Interestingly, on the ceiling near the hall’s windows, to the right and left, are beautiful mosaics with the names of famous composers like Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Beethoven. Throughout, visitors are surrounded by decorations evoking nature – flowers, palm trees, fruits, and jewel-like stained-glass panels.
The mosaic with the name of Beethoven
The Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall, which seats 2,049 people, hosts numerous concerts that attract both local music lovers and international audiences. The auditorium was originally designed for choral, orchestral, and instrumental music, as well as choral and solo performances. Today, it continues to serve all these functions, embracing both classical and contemporary music.
In addition to the grand concert hall, the palace offers another hidden gem: the d’Assaig de l’Orfeó Català, or the rehearsal hall of the Orfeó Català. This hall houses the cornerstone of the Palau, laid in 1905, making it not only a significant place for rehearsals but also a part of the building’s history. The charm of the hall is highlighted by its semicircular seating arrangement, facing a crescent-shaped arch on the ceiling above the stage. This space is also distinguished by sturdy columns, colorful stained glass, and Catalan modernist decorations, creating an atmosphere conducive to musical creativity.
This delightful space, with excellent acoustic conditions, is ideal for hosting intimate concerts, lectures, and presentations, and it is particularly well-suited as a rehearsal venue for the Orfeó Català choir.
The balcony of the Lluís Millet Hall
Another prominent space in the Palau is the distinctive Lluís Millet Hall, a spacious lounge for relaxation and gatherings, named after Maestro Millet, the founder of the Orfeó Català. The Lluís Millet Hall is located on the first floor, directly across from the concert hall.
The hall features large stained-glass windows adorned with floral motifs that stretch across two floors. Even the glass doors attract tourists who peek inside for a glimpse of the interior. Between two mosaic-adorned columns are busts of notable figures connected to Catalan music and individuals who played a key role in the construction of the palace. In this way, the Palau pays homage to their achievements and influence on the development of music in Catalonia. Additionally, beautiful paintings related to Catalan music adorn the walls.
One of the hall’s main attractions, especially popular for colorful, commemorative photos, is the balcony overlooking Sant Pere més Alt street. It is decorated with a double colonnade with vibrant colors and ornaments, where each column has its own distinct decoration and color.
Today, this hall is also used for social events and press conferences.
The facade of the Palace
The facade of the palace is located on Sant Pere Més Alt street. The main facade of the building displays arches and large columns made of red brick and ceramic. On the first floor, there is a balcony supported by fourteen columns, arranged in pairs, each covered with mosaic patterns in various designs. On the second floor, one can see busts of notable musicians, created by Eusebi Arnau – from left to right: Palestrina, Bach, and Beethoven, with a bust of Wagner welcoming visitors around the corner on Amadeu Vives street.
At the top of the facade is an impressive mosaic pediment by Lluís Bru, symbolizing the Orfeó’s flag, designed by Antoni Maria Gallissà. At the center of this composition is a queen presiding over a gathering with a spinning wheel, an allusion to “La Balanguera”, a poem by Joan Alcover set to music by Amadeu Vives. This piece became the official anthem of Majorca in 1996 and is frequently performed by the Orfeó.
In the central section, there is a sculpture by Miquel Blay, positioned at the corner like the prow of a ship. This work is titled “La cançó popular catalana” (“The Catalan Folk Song”), and, as its name suggests, it is an allegory of Catalan folk music. The sculpture portrays St. George, the patron saint of Catalonia, watching over the Catalan people, represented by figures of a peasant, a worker, and a fisherman (symbolizing labor), as well as a bourgeois woman, a worker, children, and a mother (symbolizing home). In the foreground, a muse of music emerges from the earth – the Catalan soil, from which the people grow, illustrating an allegory of Catalan folk song. The front and rear facades (on Amadeu Vives street) were designed as a unified whole.
A concert in the Concert Auditorium
Additionally, within the Palau is the Foyer, a space serving as a café-restaurant. Here, visitors can enjoy coffee and pastries in a modernist setting that aligns harmoniously with the rest of the building. Wide brick arches combined with green glazed ceramic and ceramic flowers in shades of pink and yellow give this space a unique, distinctive tone. After touring or attending a concert, guests can sit and enjoy a coffee, still enveloped in the atmosphere of the events that have taken place.