The descendants of Alicia de Larrocha (May 23, 1923 – September 25, 2009) have formed an association with the name of the historic pianist in order to organize the many activities of her centenary. This year’s curator Alicia de Larrocha, the daughter of the artist Alicia Torra de Larrocha, claims the dissemination of the most unknown human and musical side of which, due to her natural talent for the piano, was a pioneer in a world of men. How many people know that she was nominated for 14 Grammys and that she won four? A detail that has gone unnoticed by the general public even in her native Barcelona.
“Being known and recognized in the world of national and international classical music, outside of that area most people don’t know who they are,” says the curator. She was discreet, modest and simple, she was not interested in popularity and marketing or talking about herself. And since she was never satisfied with her records and as time went by she varied her vision of her works, she told her students: ‘don’t listen to them, they’re not good, now I would otherwise’ ”.
The Generalitat joins the extensive program of concerts, talks, cycles or traveling exhibitions in conservatories or libraries that is still being put together and in which more than 70 institutions collaborate, and has launched the website anyaliciadelarrocha.cat where you can consult the activities. The National Auditorium in Madrid dedicates the Great Performers cycle to him; Ibercamera, the concert by Maria Joao Pires with the Salzburg Mozarteum, on February 6; there will be a marathon of pianists at L’Auditori and a joint exhibition with the Fundacióm Victoria de los Ángeles, another figure who would celebrate its centenary and who maintained a close friendship with the pianist. The relationship of both will revive in this exhibition that will be hosted in September by the Palau Robert by the Generalitat and with a script by journalist Pep Gorgori and design by stage director Rafael R. Villalobos.
On May 22, one day before the centenary, the music journalist Albert Galceran will lead the Rediscover Alicia event at the Auditori Axa, with guests such as the curator herself and videos and audios that will allow you to hear her speak and play in a relaxed way. The pianists’ marathon will take place on November 26 representing the collective and what is still a reference for so many students and musicians today.
“Those of us who form this association, the descendants, have spent years dedicating ourselves to preserving and disseminating the memory and legacy of our mother. Joan Torra, our father, began by creating the archive that exists today. Unfortunately, he died in 1982 and since then we have taken it upon ourselves to continue keeping everything that had to do with it”, points out the curator. The fund can be consulted online and also in person by appointment.
Alicia Torra launches, yes, a wish: “I know that these are difficult times and it is difficult to fill the rooms, but it would be necessary to assume a day in Barcelona to host a cycle with the name of Alicia de Larrocha, as happens with the children of so many others localities”.
