Music has always been an important part of my life. Here are some of the projects that in one way or another have kept me involved with this passion.

• A 4 mans

A 4 mans (For four hands) was an article that appeared every month in the journal Llucmajor de pinte en ample. It represented a claim in favour of the collaboration between different persons to attain a specific objective. A 4 mans was always an article written by two persons: a person who knew the issue well and myself. I was in charge of introducing the subject as well as the person who would guide us along the ways of a specific topic or discipline.

•  Llum de llamp

Llum de llamp is the fusion of the poetry of the writer Cinta Mulet said by Maria del Mar Vanrell and the electronic music composed by Mònica López. This musical genre has a vertical effect and an essential character, without superfluous additions, as well as the work of Cinta Mulet. Llum de llamp is the combination of a wide range of sounds such as the ambient music, styles that are close to dance or chill out, as well as the appearance of noises when it is required by the performance. At the same time, Mònica and Maria del Mar propose a linguistic challenge caused by the repetition of the lateral palatal sound represented by the letter “ll”. The lateral articulation of this sound reminds us that the areas known as lateral (or peripheral), the Terra Alta and Mallorca, are necessary for the national construction. The peripheries have much to offer: they know where they come from and where they are rooted, and this is so much!

La Nit (Llucmajor, January 2011 – video YouTube)

Si dic que t’estimo (Llucmajor, January 2011 – video YouTube)

Si dic que t’estimo (Llucmajor, January 2011 – video YouTube)

 

• Les Illes

Les Illes is the name of a project that arises from the collaboration of Francesc Ballone (Algherese) and Maria del Mar Vanrell (Majorcan) with the aim of sharing music and songs from l’Alguer and Mallorca. The name is motivated by the fact that both Francesc and Maria del Mar share the fact of coming from an island (Sardinia and Majorca) and belonging to nations without state. Both Mallorca and l’Alguer are in a peripheral position with respect to Italy and Spain, but also to Sardinia and the Catalan Countries. These series of coincidences have made it possible the idea of a dialogue between the two islands, a dialogue made of singer-songwriters and traditional songs.

• Espirafoc

Espirafoc was a traditional music group created in 1997 with the aim of recovering and maintaining the music and the traditions of the Balearic Islands. An initiative based on the idea of making of this kind of music not arqueologic remains but an useful instrument, a tool. The members of the group were: Miquel Barceló (percussions), Antoni Cardell (double bass), Mònica Garcia (percussions and vocals), Antoni Puigserver (accordion), Tomeu Puigserver (guitar and little guitars) and Maria del Mar Vanrell (flutes and vocals). From their dissolution, Espirafoc revives once a year (Espirafoc revival). Here is the proof.

Boleres mallorquines, traditional (video YouTube)

Traditional song of Mallorca danced by the majority of groups of choreography dance.

Bolero de l’amor, traditional (video YouTube)

Bolero de sa frisança, M.M. Vanrell (video YouTube)

I think that this is the kind of things that appear when you are waiting for something… er… or maybe for someone.

Cançó de bressol, arrangement M.M. Vanrell (video YouTube)

Song dedicated to my niece Aina and arranged “a la manière de” theme with variations.

In 2000 Espirafoc came into a recording studio to record a demo with five songs.

Title	Author
Bolero de s’Eclipsi (mp3)	Tomeu Puigserver
El salt de la bella dona  (mp3) (Musical arrangement: M.M. Vanrell)	L. Rosas / G. Janer Manila
Els captius (mp3)	Toni Puigserver/ Maria A. Salvà
Fandango per a en Catalí (mp3)	M.M. Vanrell
Sopar de matances (mp3)	T. Barros / Maria A. Salvà

 

• Scores for clarinet

During the courses 2000/2001 and 2002/2003 I worked as a clarinet teacher in the Escola de Música de la Banda de Música de Llucmajor. One of the projects was this concert devoted to the Setze Jutges (April-May 2003). Very well-known songs interpreted by the Setze Jutges were arranged to be played by a group of clarinets.

Title	Author
Al vent (Musical arrangement: M.M. Vanrell)	Raimon
La Balanguera  (Musical arrangement: P. Siquier)	A. Vives
Com un arbre nu  (Musical arrangementt: M.M. Vanrell)	Ll. Llach
D’un temps, d’un país (Musical arrangement: M.M. Vanrell)	Raimon
El meu avi (Musical arrangement: P. Siquier)	J. Ll. Ortega
L’estaca (Musical arrangement: V. Castellano)	Ll. Llach
Laura (Musical arrangement: G. Oliver)	Ll. Llach
Paraules d’amor (Musical arrangement: P. Siquier)	J. M. Serrat
Qualsevol nit pot sortir el sol (Musical arrangement: M.M. Vanrell)	J. Sisa