Palace of Catalan Music

Brief information

The Palace of Catalan Music was built as a concert hall that itself functions almost like an instrument of light. Its main rarity is natural illumination: the hall is described as the only one of its kind in Europe where light enters through the colored glass of the walls and ceiling. It is not a neutral shell for music, but a building in which structure, glass, mosaic, and sculpture all contribute to the overall impression.

The palace’s dual purpose explains much of its appearance. It was conceived not only for concerts, but also as the headquarters of the Orfeó Català choral society. That is why, on the facade and in the hall, the musical theme is not reduced to portraits of composers: the building directly shows the choir, voices, the stage, and the audience. The steel frame made it possible to create spacious interiors, while Catalan Modernism appeared in curved lines, dynamic forms, and dense ornamentation.

What to notice first

It makes sense to compare the facade and the hall as two parts of a single musical device. Outside, the second level of the main facade is supported by two columns with multicolored glazed tiles and candelabra; above them are busts of Palestrina, Bach, and Beethoven, while the bust of Wagner is set slightly to the side. Higher up is a large mosaic with members of the Orfeó Català, so the facade immediately links the European musical tradition with the Catalan choir.

At the entrance, a practical detail is important: originally, the two arches were divided by a column that contained the ticket office, decorated with colored mosaic. In the hall, the same logic connects function and image. The dome of colored glass mosaic is arranged as the sun at the center and the sky around it; the stage is complemented by the flag of Catalonia, eighteen figures of muses, and an organ whose pipes symbolize male choral voices. After this, the decoration is read not as an excess of ornament, but as a way to show what music and what community the palace was built for.