Roberto Gerhard’s ballet Soirées de Barcelone incorporates a number of Catalan folk songs and folk-like melodies to create a nationalistic ballet that was particularly Catalan (Republican) in sentiment. Many of the folk songs that are paraphrased in the ballet are drawn from Berga, a region of Catalonia. Often the functions of these songs in their original context (many are from the festivities of Saint John’s Eve) or their original texts relate to the dramatic events on stage. Although the referenced songs were likely found in published song books such as the Obra del Cançoner Popular de Catalunya and Cancons Populars Catalanes, many of them would have been known to contemporary audiences and are still recognized in Catalonia. In addition to referencing specific Catalan folk songs, Gerhard also adopted Bartók’s techniques of abstracting folk songs to create accompaniments that contained key elements of Catalan folk song such as modal chromaticism. In adapting the folk songs for orchestra, Gerhard sometimes kept similar instrumentation, as in his paraphrasing of Els Segadors, a rousing patriotic song originally performed by Catalan wind bands, which Gerhard scored for winds and double bass only.

Works: Roberto Gerhard: Soirées de Barcelone.

Sources: Anonymous: Tocata de Gralla (12); Anonymous: De les Nines de Surroca (12-14); Anonymous: Aquestes Muntanyes (12-14); Anonymous: L’hereu Riera (14-15); Anonymous: La filla del marxant (14-16, 18, 20); Anonymous: Sant Ramon (17); Anonymous: La Mare de Déu quan era xiqueta (17-18); Anonymous: Muntanyes del Canigó (18); Anonymous: Els Segadors (18-21); Anonymous: La Fi d’en Toca-son (19); Morera: Nit de Sant Joan (20); Garreta: Juny (20); Anonymous: Balledeta de l’àliga (20); Anonymous: El Romeu I la Romea (21, 72).

Index Classifications: 1900s

Contributed by: Christine Wisch