Revista Musical Catalana

Revista Musical Catalana is a Catalan-language periodical devoted to music, founded in 1904 by the Associació Orfeó Català. It began as a monthly bulletin and quickly became the most important musicological publication in Catalonia, documenting the musical life of the modernista and noucentista eras. Its first period ran from 1904 until July 1936, when the Spanish Civil War interrupted publication. After a 45-year hiatus, the magazine was revived in 1984 by the Consorci del Palau de la Música Catalana, entering what is known as its second epoch. Today the magazine analyses Catalan musical activity across classical, popular and traditional genres through news, reviews, chronicles and feature reports. It also publishes essays on musical subjects and interviews with leading performers and composers. Since 2011 it has appeared in both print and digital formats (for tablets and iPad), complemented by daily web updates and social media. The publication is closely linked to the Orfeó Català and the Palau de la Música Catalana, and its cookie policy is shared with the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música Catalana and the Associació Orfeó Català. Over its history the magazine has published more than 400 interviews with major musical figures and has featured articles by over 650 contributors. Its pages have hosted signatures such as Higini Anglès, Joan Lamote de Grignon, Miquel Llobet, Joan Manén, Felip Pedrell, Albert Schweitzer and Amadeu Vives in the first period, and Jaume Ayats, Francesc Bonastre, Benet Casablancas, Salvador Cardús, Jordi Cervelló, Narcís Comadira, Oriol Martorell, Antoni Ros Marbà and many others since 1984. In 1990 it received the Premi Nacional de Periodisme for best thematic periodical from the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya. As of July 2026, 388 issues had been published.

Revista Musical Catalana was founded in 1904 by the Associació Orfeó Català, emerging from a periodic bulletin created by the Institució Catalana de Música to disseminate musical information and capture the musical atmosphere of the time. It appeared as a monthly bulletin and was directed by Lluís Millet i Pagès, with contributions from an impressive array of musicologists including Joan Salvat (who also directed it), Felip Pedrell, Francesc Pujol, Gregori Maria Sunyol, Eduard López-Chávarri, Josep Subirà, Blanca Selva, Josep Rafael Carreras i Bulbena, Francesc Baldelló, Vicenç Maria Gibert, Joan Llongueras, Frederic Lliurat, Wanda Landowska, Albert Schweitzer, Lluïsa Bosch i Pagès, Henri Collet, Higini Anglès and the violinist and composer Joan Manén, among others. Correspondents in other cities included Eduard López-Chávarri from Valencia, Josep Subirà from Madrid, Joaquim Nin from Berlin and Lluïsa Bosch i Pagès from Switzerland. During its noucentista phase, articles by important foreign collaborators such as Blanche Selva and harpsichordist Wanda Landowska were also included. Thanks to this work, the magazine acquired high critical and musicological standing and was considered the most important musicological publication in the country. In the 1920s, Revista Musical Catalana attempted to corporatise Catalan musical associations and offered a list of musical performances to bring any musical initiative closer to citizens. It also constantly promoted competitions, festivals and prizes aimed at encouraging creation and the recovery of Catalan heritage. In this period the magazine assumed the role of officially reflecting Catalan music, with special emphasis on institutional activity throughout Catalonia, alongside other magazines such as Revista Catalana de Música, founded by Agustí Grau, Música, Fruïcions, Fulls Musicals in Barcelona or Scherzando in Girona, as well as many bulletins of musical associations. While sympathy for innovative approaches in music was rare, there was usually a desire to make music an everyday dish as a tool for building a modern country. In July 1936, however, Revista Musical Catalana disappeared due to the ravages of the Civil War, representing a loss for Catalan music that has never been fully overcome. In 1984, after almost fifty years of silence, the Consorci del Palau de la Música Catalana promoted the revival of Revista Musical Catalana, under the direction of Jaume Comellas, Lluís Millet (musical director) and Pere Artís (editor). The magazine was published by the Consortium until November 1990, when it associated with the broadcaster Catalunya Música (which became co-editor), taking the name Catalunya Música/Revista Musical Catalana until April 2006. After this collaboration, the original title Revista Musical Catalana was recovered, giving way to a new image. In 2004 the 20th anniversary of the publication was celebrated and the centenary of the first epoch was commemorated. Also, since 2006, the magazine has published, in an inseparable supplement, the ESMUC magazine. Over these years, 323 issues had been published (September–October 2011) with more than 330 interviews with leading figures in the music world, both nationally and internationally, and more than 580 contributors had written articles. It has counted on important signatures such as Jaume Aiats, Francesc Bonastre, Benet Casablancas, Salvador Cardús, Josep Casanovas, Jordi Cervelló, Narcís Comadira, Jaume Comellas, Miquel Desclot, Romà Escalas, Francesc Fontbona, Gerhard Grenzing, Joaquim Homs, Oriol Martorell, Ernest Lluch, Jordi Maluquer, Miquel Pujadó, Antoni Ros Marbà and Francesc Taverna-Bech, among others. In 1990 it received the Premi Nacional de Periodisme for best thematic periodical, awarded by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Since 2011, it has been present in a double format, in print and digital (suitable for tablets and iPad), to which daily updating of web content and social media must be added. As of July 2026, 388 issues have been published, with more than 400 interviews and over 650 contributors.

• 2026

  388 issues published as of July 2026.

• 2011

  Launched dual print and digital format (tablet/iPad).

• 2006

  Recovered original title and began publishing ESMUC magazine as a supplement.

• 2004

  Celebrated 20th anniversary of the revival and centenary of the first epoch.

• 1990

  Received the Premi Nacional de Periodisme for best thematic periodical.

• 1990

  Associated with Catalunya Música, becoming Catalunya Música/Revista Musical Catalana until 2006.

• 1984

  Revived by the Consorci del Palau de la Música Catalana, starting its second epoch.

• 1936

  Publication interrupted by the Spanish Civil War.

• 1904

  Founded by the Associació Orfeó Català as a monthly bulletin.

Catalonia's leading musicological and music-current-affairs publication, bridging scholarly rigour and general readership.

• Print magazine

• Digital edition for tablets and iPad

• Website with daily news updates

• ESMUC magazine supplement

1. 1Inici - Revista Musical Catalanarevistamusical.cat
2. 2Sobre la RMC - Revista Musical Catalanarevistamusical.cat
3. 3Sobre les cookies - Revista Musical Catalanarevistamusical.cat
4. 4Revista Musical Catalana - Wikipedia (Catalan)ca.wikipedia.org
5. 5Revista Musical Catalana - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6"Preservar i difondre la música de cobla és el que m’importa per sobre de tot” - Revista Musical Catalanarevistamusical.cat