CASTRVM

CASTRVM is a symphonic episode inspired by four of the main civilizations that have coexisted over time in Ulldecona's Castle. With its melodies and sound effects, the composer tries to transport the listener through a trip to four uninterrupted movements, from the beginnings of this small settlement, creating a natural atmosphere recreated by the voice and the singing of birds to take us into the history with the first inhabitants, the Iberians, giving strength to the introduction of the composition, to move on to the time of the Andalusians, which with a melody in the form of a dance marked by percussion will transport us to take a walk in the surroundings of its circular tower. Next, and with strength, we arrive at the medieval and Christian period, marked in the score by the brass instruments, in this fragment we find moments that take us into the church of “Santa María de los Ángeles”, with melodies that evoke resonance and pomposity, continuing until we find the immense square tower, symbol of the fortress and homage, finally used as a prison and arsenal of those times. Then, there is a small slow march that will move us to some measures of strong stridency to finish with the whole section of low brass having its great moment of prominence, down to we reach the last part, Qüna, a name that is recited during the musical piece and one of the names given in the past to the area that could be seen from the castle, where the change of location of the new town is recreated leaving the castle site, but always looking at it with respect and admiration as at the beginning of what is now the current Ulldecona, in this part, the composer plays a bit with a very well-known and significant melody for the inhabitants of Ulldecona, the "Jota Vieja", first making a reflex effect of all its melody and then only with the first six notes of this one, which builds a bridge until reaching the march and, later, the grand finale of this symphonic episode. The work was commissioned by Ulldecona Town Council and the Ulldecona Music Band, led by its conductor Joan Nadal i Girona, to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the donation of the Town Charter of Ulldecona "the old" (1222-2022), as part of the PATRIMONIUM 20.22 programme, "La Banda (Sonora) del Castell" (The soundtrack of the Castle).