Little did I think in 1951, when I composed Balada del bes on Joan Maragall’s (1860-1911) delicious poem, that I would have to wait 62 years to listen to its premiere. The bright sound of the white voices brought to live by the marvellous Cor Vivaldi, conducted, interpreted and enlivened by Òscar Boada, on November 9th 2013 at the Axa Auditorium in Barcelona.

The theme, the time and tone evoked by Maragall brought me to the translucence of children’s or girls’ voices, and to a harmonic treat...