Sagrada Familia S02

Antoni Gaudí’s monumental temple La Sagrada Familia is a universe within a building. Its mass of stone and metal is bathed in coloured light diffused from dazzling stained glass windows. The colossal structure is supported by great pillars inspired by the shapes of tree trunks that re-inforce the impression of a spiritual forest. Around the main access points to the basilica are three great facades; Nativity, Passion and Glory. Each is a visual world unto itself, stylistically apart yet united by Gaudí’s grandiose vision. These three facades are the inspiration of my three-movement La Sagrada Familia Symphony.

The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is an integral part of Welsh culture, giving frequent premieres of works by Welsh composers. The orchestra is often active beyond Wales, recording a variety of material that includes many BBC television soundtracks. The origins of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales lay in the Cardiff Station Orchestra, which was founded in 1924. In 1928, it was renamed the National Orchestra of Wales. This orchestra dissolved under funding pressures in 1931 but was revived as the BBC Welsh Orchestra in 1935.

Monument incontournable de Barcelone, l’édifice de la Sagrada Familia, classé au patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco, reste nimbé de mystère. À sa mort en 1926, l'architecte Antoni Gaudí était loin de l'avoir achevé - il ne l’est toujours pas à ce jour. Une enquête digne du "Da Vinci code"…

Gaudi left us a spectacular work. An unfinished creation: the Sagrada Familia. A huge, senseless cathedral project, whose rules and spirit must be understood in order to be completed. A challenge that has occupied the successors of the great Catalan architect for more than a century.