Barcelona had yet to take a step forward in recognizing Jordi Savall and has finally decided to link itself to the dimension of his figure. Curiously, the work of research and dissemination of music by one of the most influential musicians in the world has had more institutional acceptance in France over the decades –because of his incomparable recordings of the French baroque– than in his own country, whose heritage Spanish Renaissance musical is a great ambassador.
This has been the case until today at least, the day on which the plenary session of the Municipal Council of the City Council plans to approve an institutional declaration that recognizes the dimension of his work and promotes the decision to cede a physical and spiritual headquarters to his Early Music Foundation. Barcelona sees itself with the moral obligation to maintain its legacy in the city and undertakes to give it an emblematic space under municipal ownership. A place where the Fundació can carry out its activities, both historical and musicological research, as well as artistic research with its two orchestras and two choirs.
Aware that "the mandate is running out", the councilor of the Junts municipal group, Joan Rodríguez Portell, has promoted this declaration that has been well received by the rest of the groups and especially by the municipal government itself, whose sixth deputy mayor , Jordi Martí, had already held informal conversations in this regard and now sees his intention endorsed.
"It's about being able to have a space that gives it the entity it deserves beyond the collaborations and performances at L'Auditori or the Liceu," Rodríguez Portell points out. We have to value his work and provide him with stability for his formations, a space in which to maintain the level of excellence and which will last when he is no longer around, as is the case with Pau Casals at El Vendrell”.
That the Fundació CIMA (Centre d'Investigació de Música Antiga) has a headquarters for the twenty workers of its office "that is not the current little apartment in Bellaterra but a space in Barcelona makes all the sense," says Martí. “Especially when Savall, due to age, will leave artistic activity and that intangible heritage will have to be able to stay in Barcelona. The fundamental role of the City Council must be to find a place, while the financing of the activity must come from the Generalitat”, adds the councilor.
It was in August 2021 when, on the occasion of his 80th birthday, Savall expressed to La Vanguardia his dream of having a foundation in Barcelona, "in the same way that Tàpies exists." The teacher thought of a space that would house his archive –a legacy of more than 55 years– and would allow him to do rehearsals, activities, masterclasses, press conferences... and preserve his intangible legacy.
The problem is that it cannot be just any place. Finding a ship in El Poblenou would not be difficult, but a space of certain heritage value is required, possibly from a period linked to ancient music and with good acoustics. They may be looking for Santa Àgueda or El Tinell, which are part of the City History Museum and places where Savall has prepared records and concerts.
The list can be long if you add places that are not necessarily municipally owned, says Martí, for whom the undisputed first option continues to be the Palau del Lloctinent. A place that previously housed the archive of the Crown of Aragon and that the central government considers emblematic and refuses to cede. "The State grumbles but that palace has little use by the Ministry, it would not be difficult for them to give up some rooms," says Martí.
For Julià Cabrerizo, president of CIMA's Patronage Council and City Council's Urbanime and Mobility advisor, the work will begin when a commission is set up with officials from the Government, City Council and CIMA to survey real estate.
One of the best bets would be Sant Felip Neri, which not only depends on the bishopric but also on the prior of the Felipones order, although here the City Council could reach a quid pro quo as it has done with the Poor Clares of the Pedralbes monastery: it is in charge of of maintenance in exchange for the place being opened to public activity. The building requires a rehabilitation that the City Council would be willing to assume, since it is interested in reactivating the square. It would be the best option for a Baroque church due to its acoustics – the Fundació Montserrat Torrent has managed to have its organ rehabilitated – and the monastery is unused.
This new municipal agreement could serve to unravel some of these options, or consider other less suitable ones, such as the Pedralbes monastery itself or the Shipyards, where Savall has held concerts, although the latter depends on the Diputació.
