# The ultimate challenge for a nowadays composer



## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

When this building was consecrated








(Quote from Wikipedia) "During the consecration service in 1436, Guillaume Dufay's similarly unique motet _Nuper rosarum flores _was performed. The structure of this motet was strongly influenced by the structure of the dome."

Soon (in 2026) this building will be finished. 









What kind of composition would be fitting for the consecration service? Building of the _Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família_ started in 1882. Looking at Florence's grand scale _il Duomo_ and Dufay's small scale motet, it is not necessary for the music to be so exuberant... I would like to hear your ideas about this and even better: There are quite a lot of composers on this forum, aren't there?


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## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

I think _Scene with Cranes_ by Sibelius best suits the building as it appears now.

My suggestion would be to commission a piece by the contemporary Catalan composer Leonardo Balada:

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Balada*

He's very good, and he's from Barcelona, so he will be familiar with Gaudi's architecture.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Fsharpmajor said:


> I think _Scene with Cranes_ by Sibelius best suits the building as it appears now.


:lol:

:tiphat:


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

By the looks of it, this appears to be a would-be job for a modern day minimalist composer. I mean, I’ve only seen the picture but already am hearing some existing stuff by Philip Glass.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Serge said:


> By the looks of it, this appears to be a would-be job for a modern day minimalist composer. I mean, I've only seen the picture but already am hearing some existing stuff by Philip Glass.


All the intricate details and complex shapes on this building will hardly be justified by minimalism.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

emiellucifuge said:


> All the intricate details and complex shapes on this building will hardly be justified by minimalism.


That's what I was thinking. You'd need something equally gothic and extravagant!


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

emiellucifuge said:


> All the intricate details and complex shapes on this building will hardly be justified by minimalism.


Complex shapes? The way I see it this all could be a numerous repetition of the same simple shape. (It looks like it's been made of Lego anyway.) But perhaps other people hear the minimalist music differently, as was long my suspicion…. You don't suggest baroque, do you?


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

While there are similarities with Baroque, I think the building is also a little too grotesque for the purity of strict counterpoint.

How do you hear minimalism?


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

I thought the task was to employ one of the musical styles still in existence.  This building appears to be very orderly, going against most of the modern styles. (Of course I am speaking from my very limited knowledge of the subjects: both music and architecture.) So what else is out there at the moment, besides minimalist music, to suggest? 

The specific piece I’m hearing might be this: Philip Glass - Etude No.2 (from Etudes for Solo Piano, Vol.I, Nos.1-10). I got for free from Amazon.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Youre right, it is ordered. There is a lot of symmetry in the building. 
Not sure what musical style I would select.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Serge said:


> I thought the task was to employ one of the musical styles still in existence.  This building appears to be very orderly, going against most of the modern styles. (Of course I am speaking from my very limited knowledge of the subjects: both music and architecture.) So what else is out there at the moment, besides minimalist music, to suggest?
> 
> The specific piece I'm hearing might be this: Philip Glass - Etude No.2 (from Etudes for Solo Piano, Vol.I, Nos.1-10). I got for free from Amazon.


In the crypt of the cathedral there is a model with small sandbags hanging down. It's almost incredible, that Antoni Gaudí has used this medieval method to calculate the strength of the slim columns and that by this he was able to make the most economical use of materials: the columns look as natural as trees. No reinforced concrete is used anywhere. So on one hand one gets overwhelming exuberance, on the other hand everything has its natural place. This going together of extreme copiousness and extreme economy in the use of material *does* imply an orderliness. Who knows, an orderliness of a different order....? Perhaps minimalism is a musical key for understanding Gaudí...


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

So fundamentally the building is very economical and minimal, but on the outside appearances it is intricate and exploding with detail.

Seems the opposite of minimalism to me.
- Maybe some post-minimal John Adams if it werent so cheesy.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

In terms of economical use of material 'Gothic'  an enlightened invective) cathedrals are much better build than the heavy oversized & outsized buildings of the Renaissance and Baroque. Gaudí admired the 'Gothic' architect/builders but he wanted to beat them in their own trade. Gaudí wanted to outperform those medieval (again: an invective) masters. In musical terms I see an analogy here between Bruckner (who was so mercilessly mocked by the critics), but went on to build his symphonies and Gaudí, who just went on with his own mission. But is Bruckner as a composer economical & natural?


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Forgetting for a moment that it's Barcelona, I'm hearing Wojciech Kilar.


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## kmisho (Oct 22, 2009)

How about Debussy's The Engulfed Cathedral.

haha

Consider the cover of Steve Reich's 18 Musicians by Beryl Korot.









I see a relationship. The problem is, I see a relationship between this and any Gothic cathedral.


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## jmiguel (Jan 17, 2012)

maybe Penderecki ?


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## An Die Freude (Apr 23, 2011)

I've been there!

Seeing as it's in three sections (Nativity, Passion, Gloria), I think it should be an oratorio in those three sections exploring the story of Christ. For some reason when I saw that building connected to music here I thought of three big minor chords. Probably the three towers.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I think Paul McCartney and Michael Nyman should collaborate on it so that it will be really _really_ annoying.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2012)

I think of Gaudi as a rather playful architect - playing with shapes and colors and textures. This is not obvious from the far-away picture of the cathedral, but it is clearer in the details.

Off-hand the most appropriate music might be something like Villa-Lobos. Definitely not minimalism.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2012)

Maybe these guys have beat you to it?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Ligeti: Lux Aeterna.


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