"Make no mistake: if no one fights to preserve the legacy and to keep alive the memory of a figure like Alicia de Larrocha, who is among the great piano artists of the 20th century all over the world, the passage of time ends it diluting everything".
Words of warning from Alicia Torra de Larrocha. The daughter of the legendary pianist, manager of the foundation and curator of its centenary thus closed the Alicia de Larrocha Year at the Palau de la Generalitat. An event in which witnesses were heard from his disciple, Alba Ventura; from his biographer, Mònica Pagès, or from his promoter at Ibercamera, Josep Maria Prat. But also from the president Pere Aragonès - "it is the strength of culture that helps us to feel alive" - and the Minister of Culture, Natàlia Garriga, who assured that they claim what is a benchmark for achieving excellence lence, "a seed of the future".
The family of the honoree takes a positive view of 2023, which for some will extend the rest of the season. There have been countless events in conservatories and halls, conferences of the Torra itself or itinerant exhibitions, although the most notable is That eternal admiration, of the friendship with Victoria of the Angels, at the Palau Robert (until the 7th).
But all this has not been achieved without effort. Musical institutions and artists - such as 38 pianists who recently offered a marathon in L'Auditori - have added to the party, yes, but Torra does not forget that the fact that the Government included it among the official commemorations and turned it into a question of country has meant a push. He made it clear during the thanksgiving in front of a hundred people from the musical and political world of Catalonia, from the president of the Liceu, Salvador Alemany, or the president of the Fundació Victòria dels Àngels, Helena Mora, to Joan Mas, defender of the figure of Joan Manén.
Alicia was simple, modest and discreet. Dedicated to her vocation, she avoided appearing in the media, ran away from marketing... "It should be added that classical music does not move the masses and, despite its relevance, it is an unknown figure to the general public", said Torra. But Pagès placed her at her right level. He spoke of an artist who transcends time and conquers the world. "There are few chosen to leave a mark on the collective memory of a country and even less on that of universal history". The cultural journalist put De Larrocha next to Gaudí, Dalí, Casals.
"Even if her art was intangible, even if she was a woman in a man's world and didn't want to be in the media, it was momentous for European music that marks our history. He knew how to understand it with such genius that with his mastery of the keyboard he made us understand the music of 400 years of history, which is part of our European DNA. Mompou, Montsalvatge, Soler, Granados or Albéniz were always part of his repertoire with Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Ravel...".
The speeches alternated with videos of the pianist playing with 9-year-olds; or in 1962, performing La maja y el ruiseñor from the Suite Goyescas de Granados for Dutch television. And finally at the Lincoln Center in New York, in front of an audience that celebrated its Mozart. It was 1995.
"I still remember the nerves and excitement before playing for her, her advice on style, on phrasing, sound quality, how to put the pedal or improve fingerings - added Ventura-. Alicia's name echoed through Marshall Academy every day, it seemed like she was always there even though she was always on tour. I, who must have been 11 or 12 years old, couldn't believe that that lady was the one on the cover of the albums I revered so much."
"It was not easy to find a hole in his concert schedule - comments Prat -. One day I got it and I called her all happy and she said; 'Josep Maria, I don't know why you invite me to your season to play among all these important pianists you always bring'. But what happened was that those pianists admired our season because she was there."
If an Alicia de Larrocha archive exists today, it is because her parents were aware that the little girl was an exceptional case and kept everything. Then it was her husband, a great admirer of hers, who created a very complete archive. The family started the cataloging task in 2011 and is still working on it. At this time, it can be consulted on the Internet or by prior appointment to access the space where it is temporarily housed, at Alicia Torra's house. "The idea is that in the future everything will go to a suitable place," he says.
Alicia de Larrocha did not want anything to be done in her life. "'When I'm gone, do whatever you want', he told us. Since he died, in 2009, we have addressed many things, such as the publication of the biography of Mònica Pagès, the creation of a documentary, the publication of his childhood and youth compositions, or that of an illustrated book for children," concludes Torra.
