Museu Vil·la Casals - Museum on the life of Pau Casals

Pau Casals (photo credit from Fundacio Pau Casals)

On September 11th, Catalan National Day, we went to visit the Museum Vil·la Casals which is located on the beach a few minutes from El Vendrell. The Museum is situated in a former of home of Pau Casals, one of the most well-known and respected cellists and composers of recent history.

He is Catalan and was born in El Vendrell in a home near the Placa Nova at the center of town, which can also be visited. He is especially noted for transforming the way cello is played, for his commitment to peace and non-involvement in politics, and composing a song which became the anthem for the United Nations.

Although he passed away in Puerto Rico, his remains have been returned to El Vendrell, where he is buried. On Catalan National Day, one of the cultural activities listed in El Vendrell's event calendar, was paying respects to his resting place and leaving flowers.

A visit to the Museum Vil·la Casals will provide you with an overview of his life, which is done via audio/video presentations in each room in conjunction with artifacts preserved from his life. The home itself is located on the Mediterranean Sea and contains beautiful gardens and sculptures. It is not a large museum but well worth the visit if you are interested in history, music and culture.

Museu Vil·la Casals (photo credit: National Geographic)

ROAR vs. Applause

Last week we experienced a battle of two of the biggest pop stars in current history. Both Katy Perry and Lady Gaga had their new singles leaked before the scheduled release date, so of course I listened to them. I secretly hoped I would love both, since a good pop song makes for good dance music which is a nice contrast to my more subdued playlists consisting of The National, Bon Iver and the likes.  In the end, however, I only felt love for Lady Gaga's Applause. 

When I heard Applause, I immediately wanted to start moving. It made want to dance because it's energetic and fun with a techno beat. The lyrical content is not the most uplifting or spiritual, but this cannot be expected from pop music; at least it is not about alcohol, drugs and sex. I am not impressed with the music video (no surprise here) as Lady Gaga's taste is dark and strange. She tries to hard to be provocative and I find it quite unappealing. In this regard, I prefer Katy Perry's more superficial approach to pop culture.

 

Katy Perry's Roar feels too juvenile, just watch the lyric video to see an example of what I mean.  It's so strange that someone my age (actually two years older) is making music for 12 year olds. It also sounds much of what we have heard from her previously (maybe Gaga is no different). It's a bit slow, in a controlled way - maybe it would have been better with a little more ______ (insert word here). Don't get me wrong; the song fits the pop music bill: it's catchy, poppy, and superficial. It actually has a decent message of empowerment, unlike most songs these days and it is outselling Lady Gaga's Applause on iTunes, so Katy Perry's team has succeeded, just not with me.  

Curious to know which song you prefer.

Fatoumata Diawara

Music by Fatoumata Diawara is refreshing and upbeat. I find it quite relaxing to listen to from time to time. Give her a listen and let me know what you think. I would love to find some more music similar to this.

NPR showcased her this year on NPR Front Row and GlobalFest.