On December 29, 2026, it will be 150 years since the birth of Pau Casals, one of Catalan culture's most universal musicians and an undisputed reference of 20th-century music. To honor him, the Choir of the Rovira i Virgili University (URV) presented a concert at the Cathedral of Tarragona, an event now a staple of the Santa Tecla program.
The concert began with a performance of the Missa de Glòria, a work Pau Casals wrote in 1892, when he was just fifteen years old. Despite being an early work, it already showcased the composer's great musical intuition.
Remembered as an exceptional cellist, conductor, educator, and humanist, Pau Casals is celebrated not only for his extraordinary musical talent but also for his firm commitment to the values of freedom, democracy, and peace. This commitment led him to compose the Hymn to the United Nations, commissioned by UN Secretary-General U Thant in 1970. The piece, with lyrics by poet W.H. Auden, premiered on October 24, 1971, in New York.
Yesterday, under the direction of Montserrat Ríos, the URV Choir also performed this anthem. The performance featured Judith Sánchez (soprano), Òscar F. Joyera (tenor), and Joan Carvajal (bass), accompanied by Mercè Sanchís on the organ.
The concert, which filled the Cathedral of Tarragona, was co-organized by the Choir itself and the Tarragona City Council, with the collaboration of the Pau Casals Foundation and the support of the Chapter of the Tarragona Cathedral.
