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My little brother recently began playing the cello and my mom is extremely emotional about it. She loves the instrument and it reminds her of her grandfather who played it for her when she was a child. He died when she was 16 so her memories of him from her childhood are extremely precious and endearing. One of her favorite stories is about the time that her grandfather saw the virtuoso cellist Pablo Casals play in Barcelona.

I think this occurred in 1919 when he was forming the Orquestra Pau Casals. Those plans were interrupted and halted by the Franco regime, which my grandfather always thought was a tragedy. I don’t know where the concert occurred, but the way my mother told the story it always sounded like some kind of an impromptu recital of sorts. Meanwhile, what is definite about the encounter is that Pablo Casals played the Second Cello Suite by J.S. Bach. That is my mother’s favorite of the six Suites and remembers my father playing the prelude from it and it bringing her to tears.

My grandfather always had a strong connection to Barcelona, he was born there, and would return there throughout his life. My mom has taken my brother and me on vacation there and we love staying in the beautiful top Barcelona hotels. We always go to a small coffee café in the old part of town that my grandfather used to love. My mother is so excited that my brother is playing the cello and can’t wait for him to begin playing the Bach Suites. He is very interested in it and excited to play, I just hope my mom doesn’t push him too fast. I have to admit though, I might do the same because I play the piano and can’t wait to play some sonatas with him.

Related posts:

1. Buying a Cello in Hong Kong
2. Parks in Barcelona