Religious Affairs Office

[TICKETS SOLD OUT FOR THE 6:00 PM CHURCH SERVICE] Registration for the waiting list at: reservesmuseu@auditori.cat, including your full name, surname(s), and contact phone number.

“Transitions: Music of the Spirit” is a music cycle conceived by the Office for Religious Affairs (OAR) and the Museu de la Música de Barcelona, seeking to highlight the close relationship between music and spirituality or religiousness in the different cultures in Barcelona. This year sees the third edition of the cycle form part of the “(Contra) Natura” season at L’Auditori. After the first session of “The Music of the Philadelphia Temple de la Mina Church” in October 2024, this year sees the cycle continue with the activity “Caramelles de Nadal: Oral Music in the Pitiusas Islands”. The session consists of an introductory talk with experts in this musical and religious practice and a Church Service open to the public where we can enjoy the singing of ‘caramella’ songs for Christmas.

‘Caramelles’ are a unique cultural and musical form of expression, with Catalonia as the epicentre and blending music and poetry. They are deeply rooted in the religion of Christianity and have a significant impact in the cohesion of societies where they are sung, where they have historically acquired a symbolic and identity based meaning. Their origins can be found in medieval musical traditions where song provided a vehicle for disseminating religious messages in different festivals. These days there are ‘caramelles’ for Easter and for Christmas. The latter are linked to the celebration of the birth of Jesus , with words relating to the nativity and events and related offerings. The pieces are therefore not just festive songs, but also popular and accessible religious tools for evangelism and education, inviting reflection on the vital aspects of Christian faith and unity.

This is why they have simple melodies that promote participation and the sense of community, inviting collective enjoyment with joyous and festive tones. The songs represent a social phenomenon where the sacred and the profound combine as a result of the intersection of religious words with popular styles that become an outstanding example of the rich diversity of Catalonia’s cultural heritage. In an effort to preserve the practice that reflects the history, religion and culture of the communities that practice it, Barcelona has recently seen a revitalisation of the tradition of ‘caramelles’ thanks to associations and cultural groups promoting them and reintroducing them into local celebrations and events. In other parts of the Catalan-speaking lands, these songs have had plenty of continuity, for instance in the Pitiusan Islands, where they continue to have a strong presence and are characterised by redoubled singing (with a distinctive vibration at the end of each verse) combined with instruments and performed by a group of men, the ‘caramella’ squad, who enter the church in a procession. For this Trànsits activity, the Esquadra de Caramellers Es Xacoters de Sa Torre, with a history of more than 30 years and one of Ibiza’s most veteran folklore groups, will be tasked with performing the Caramelles de Nadal.

CARAMELLES DE NADAL. ORAL MUSIC IN THE PITIUSAS ISLANDS

Conversation with Ester Llop, musicologist, teacher and singer with the group Tornaveus, of traditional Catalan polyphony; Lara Magriñá, Ibizan pianist and singer; and Francisco Javier Bonet, dancer and castanet player with Es Xacoters de sa Torre. Moderated by Jordi Alomar, director of the Museu de la Música. Free admission but places are limited.

• Date: 18 January
• Venue: Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius (Plaça d’Anna Frank, s/n)
• Time: 12:30 PM

Church Service with the Esquadra de Caramellers Es Xacoters de Sa Torre. Admission is free, but booking required HERE. Limited places. [SOLD OUT!] Registration for the waiting list at: reservesmuseu@auditori.cat, including your full name, surname(s), and contact phone number.

• Date: 18 January
• Venue: Crypt of the Sagrada Família (Carrer de Sardenya, 314-318)
• Time: 6 pm

***** On the same day January 18, Els Xacoters de Sa Torre d’Eivissa will participate in the international evening church service that will be celebrated at 8 p.m. in the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. Access to this church service is free and capacity is limited. More information here.

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