The words of Francesc Cassú about Legends of Pop & Rock

25/11/2014

Francesc Cassú, Artistic Director of Simfònica de Cobla i Corda de Catalunya.

I am proud to be the conductor of this second trilogy of the Cobla and String Symphony Orchestra of Catalonia, of which the third volume is now being presented. Proud of having carried out the conjuntion, not always easy, of some talented young people (the Youth Orchestra of Girona) and the veteran musicians of the cobla orchestra La Principal de la Bisbal.

The combination, not always easy, of string and cobla instruments in arrangements of which I am also co-author (with Adrià Barbosa). Now that this project has been successfully concluded and we are about to set sail for other horizons, I believe it is time for acknowledgments.

First of all, the real architects of everything. To those who devised and believed in the project and have done the impossible to make it possible. Metalquimia and the Lagares family have been vital throughout the entire trajectory.

To our technical director, Jaume Lleixà. Alma mater of the orchestra, a reference for the younger members and producer of this project’s recording.

To Eulalia Tomas, through wisdom and madness, when appropriate, at all the meetings. To Adrià Barbosa, sensitive and intelligent, who knows immediately what each arrangement needs to give it personality, that is, give it life.

To Elena Rey, our concertmaster. For her ability to convey the necessary information directly and generously, and for the magic of her sound.

To all members of the Youth Orchestra, vital and inexhaustible sponges who soak up the repertoire with the spontaneity of the young student and the maturity of the professional musician.

To my comrades of La Principal de la Bisbal, because they provide maturity but are also able to give it the spontaneity of youth.

To Eduard Font, our pianist. The bastion that sustains the core of the orchestra.

To Toni París, our recording technician with whom I shared countless hours mixing and editing, who knows exactly how this orchestra should sound.

To Beth, warm and transparent, who infuses everything she sings with spirituality and transmits the message almost without you realizing it.

And to Manu Guix, a new knight in the kingdom, an indispensable cyclone for assuming a repertoire that runs in his veins, and who I wish to thank especially for his excellent predisposition.

Without all of them, this would not have been possible. And, as I said before, we have come to the end of a journey... in order to set off on another with even more daring and ambitious goals. But with these travel companions any destination is reachable. Thanks to all of you.