La vaca cega

“La vaca cega”, a short symphonic poem inspired by the poetry of Joan Maragall (1851–1911), is my first orchestral composition. I wrote it at the age of 15 following encouragement from Ahn Eak-tai, a disciple of Richard Strauss. Ahn himself premiered it with the Mallorca Symphony Orchestra on 5 July 1948. It was on that day that Ahn Eak-tai handed me his baton when I went on stage to greet the audience after the first recital, and I also premiered as conductor, once again directing my score.

The recital of this piece entails the prior recitation of Maragall’s poem as an integral and fundamental part of my musical interpretation of the poem. Next, and without delay, the piece begins with a softly melancholic motif that is interrupted with a second highly dramatic motif that then returns to the initial motif that progresses and is modulated pastorally. A fast, dramatic digression once again returns to the initial motif. Its uneasy manner for a passionate crescendo leads to a culmination, eventually returning to rest in the initial motif with the slow melody that moves away “sota del sol que crema” (beneath a burning sun)...

Narcís Bonet (1933 - 2019)