This
well-known band from
Catalonia, from the region of the Empordà was created in 1.888 in the city of
La Bisbal d’Empordà (Girona). This cobla-orchestra joined the spirit and
experience of the ancient catalan cobles.
La Principal de la Bisbal
has been rewarded in every contest she has participated. It is important to
point out among all the awards the ones from Barcelona (1892, 1909), Girona
(1906, 1912, 1916) and Sant Feliu de Guíxols (1932). This last one meant the
title of “Official Cobla from the Generalitat de Catalunya”. This title was
returned to the cobla in 1.978 by an Ordinance ordered by the catalan President
Josep Tarradellas.
The most important people
from the cobla history have always been (some years of their artistic life)
musicians of La Principal de la Bisbal. We can point out tenora musicians like
Albert Martí, Ramon Rossell, Josep Coll, Ferran Rigau and Ricard Viladesau;
tible musicians like Enric Barnosell, Àngel Pont and Joan Parés; the trumpets
Pere Pruñunosa, Francesc Capellas and Joan Sadurní; the fiscorns Tomàs Garcia,
Llibertat Juanals and Josep Puig “Moreno”; and double bass musicians like Fèlix
Horcajo, Emili Saló, Josep Vallespí, etc…
Some of La Principal de la
Bisbal directors were the masters Robert Mercader, Josep Canet, Josep Maria
Soler, Josep Saló, Genís Canet and Conrad Saló. Conrad Saló was considered
the most able and severe cobla director. His successor, Josep Cassú, who had
the opportunity to work beside Conrad Saló in the last years of his life, was a
very good successor.
In 1.988 the Cobla
Centenary was commemorated, becoming one of the most important and emotional
events of its history. It is important to emphasise that La Principal de la
Bisbal had homage in every place where they played. Among all the ones they had,
the most importants were the Centenary Ceremony in La Bisbal d’Empordà and
the concerts in the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona), in the Palau de la Música
Catalana (Barcelona), in the Abbey of Montserrat (Barcelona) and in the Palau de
la Generalitat (Barcelona), where they received the prestigious award “Creu de
Sant Jordi”.
In 1992 Francesc Cassú –
Francesc Cassú’s son – is chosen as the new director, who with only 27
years old assumes one of the biggest challenges in the cobles-orchestra world.
Known as a composer and a winner of several awards, he has also been one of the
people who promote with energy the needed renewal and evolution in the
sardana’s world.
In 1.992 La Principal de la
Bisbal obtains again a very important goal, becoming the Olympic Cobla for the
Barcelona’92 Olympic Games. La Principal take part on the inaugural ceremony
and they record the olympic music for cobla, including the one for the
Paralympics. In addition, they go to the Universal Expo’92 in Sevilla as a
member of the catalan music representation, offering several performances.
In 1.993 the Principal de
la Bisbal director, Francesc Cassú, has been chosen to make the official
version of the National Hymn of Catalonia, “Els Segadors”. The cobla records
the version, which is distributed - with other versions - all over the world.
La Principal de la Bisbal
recordings have been and are a model to imitate. The performances quality, the
leading technology they always use and the careful selection of repertoire in
the cobla music viewpoint as in the sardanas popularity makes their discography
essential for any music-lover.
In 1.995 the cobla is named
“Catalan of the year” by the “Catalan Circle of Madrid”, at the same
time that the cobla suffers deep changes and renewals that rejuvenate and give
the band new viewpoints about future.
In November 1.997 La
Principal is invited to the Cultural Week in La Havana (Cuba), offering several
concerts in the most important stages (Gran Teatro de la Ópera, Teatro
Nacional, Paseo de la Revolución, Museo de la Música…) and sharing their
experiences with the native musicians from this musical city.
In September 1.999 La
Principal de la Bisbal travels to the city of Alguer (Sardegna island, Italy)
and they play in a school where the people can still learn the catalan language.
They become the first cobla in the Alguer history that performs a concert in the
Main Theatre, where the natives felt a mixture of surprise and emotion.
The year 2.000 is named
officially “The tenora year”, to commemorate the 150 years of the tenora
establishment as a soloist cobla instrument. La Principal de la Bisbal
participate with energy en every ceremony that wants to promote this big event.
La Principal make concerts in the most important concert halls of Catalonia,
like the Auditori Nacional and the Palau de la Música Catalana, underlining too
the Sagrada Família stage, because for the first time in the history, a cobla
performs a concert in the Passion Façade. At the same time, Francesc Cassú is
chosen as a member of the 150th Tenora Centenary Honour Committee,
with Jordi Pujol, the Generalitat de Catalunya President, as the Committee
President.
In january 2001 the Principal de la Bisbal travels to Rome with a catalan delegation, to make the city of Vatican listen to cobla music. The Pontifical Institute of Sacra Music and, at the same time, Pope John Paul II, in a private audition, are the witness of the two concerts that La Principal de la Bisbal plays this time.
La Principal de la Bisbal
is nowadays considered as the first cobla from the Catalan Country, sovereign in
city squares and sardana meetings; and one of the most prestigious catalan
institutions. Because of its big fame and reputation, their presence in concert
halls, sardana meetings and village parties is essential.