Historical journey through the Camino de Santiago
The work traces a pilgrimage through the Camino de Santiago, highlighting its protagonists, and exploring the human dimension of the journey. It opens with pre-Christian Christian music and weaves in the experiences of travelers, shaping a narrative that Ricardo Llorca (Alicante, 1958) uses as the foundation for his composition. Created as a walker’s Oratory at the request of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the piece is designed to accompany the visit of Pope Francis to the sacred site.
Although the pope could not travel to Spain during the pandemic, the cantata is scheduled to premiere on the 20th at the Auditorio de Galicia in Santiago. The Royal Galician Philharmonic will perform under the baton of Alexis Soriano, with the University of Leon choir conducted by Aitor Olivares García. Alicante soprano Susana Cordon and tenor José Luis Sola will share the stage with narrator Eva Guillamón, and organist Fernando Buide will enrich the score with his instrument.
Parts of the Codex Calixtinus
The composer reimagines fragments of the Codex Calixtinus, a mid-12th-century manuscript that records the testimonies of pilgrims to Santiago. It also references Pope Benedict XVI, as well as the Santiago Cathedral’s moments in 2010 and Pope Francis’s first Mass in the Sistine Chapel on March 14, 2013. Pilgrims’ diaries, including those of Concha Llorca Zaragoza, are integrated into these collected texts to illuminate the journey. The piece attaches those texts to the musical pilgrimage, weaving a narrative that blends history with contemporary reflection. (Citation: Codex Calixtinus and related pilgrim chronicles)
Its approximately hour-long soundscape draws on prehistoric inspirations and eastern motifs, with batre-inspired melodies that echo tunes known from childhood in Alicante. These elements tie together the tasks of rural life—plowing, mowing, gathering—into a musical expression that returns as an Agnus Dei within the oratory framework. (Citation: traditional Alicante folk melodies and early scores)
In this creative journey, oriental-inspired sounds surface, including influences from Hindu tabernacles, temple gong textures, and melismas associated with Maronite Catholic rites. The musical entrances feature voices from a soprano and a tenor, contributing to the polyphonic atmosphere. (Citation: Eastern liturgical musical motifs)
“What the soloists sing comes from the pilgrims’ texts gathered in the Codex Calixtino, which I adapted into music. Fragments of the popes’ sermons and of Concha Llorca’s diaries also shape the narrative.”
A different speech
“I aimed for an unused speech. I proposed creating a work with music that predates Gregorian chant yet remains rooted in an oriental sonority,” the composer explains. The commission was planned before the pandemic, and the idea was to craft an oratorio that echoes Maronite, Coptic, and Santiago Cathedral influences, forming a unique fusion. (Citation: composer interview excerpts)
He also suggested incorporating Middle Eastern or Arab-inspired songs that echo the weight and cadence of batre. These melodies originate from Alicante’s farming communities, preserved and handed down through generations. Óscar Esplá’s contributions are acknowledged in the broader tradition of local folk song. (Citation: Alicante folk heritage)
Ricardo Llorca expresses strong satisfaction with the project, noting that it feels original because it eschews a traditional oratorio form while reviving the essence of Christian music. Rehearsals began with the choir in Leon, and the plan is to travel to Santiago next week for performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Galicia. (Citation: project press materials)
A studio recording for Sony Classical is planned, with sessions scheduled shortly after the premiere to capture the work for release. (Citation: production notes)
International orbit
Llorca’s career spans many disciplines. He has served as Assistant Conductor at The New York Opera Society and has worked with numerous prestigious institutions, including Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York, the Italian Embassy in Washington, the National Gallery in Washington, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, the United Nations in New York, and the World Financial Center. His experience also encompasses connections with the Toulouse Opera, the Chicago Cultural Center, and the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic, reflecting a broad international footprint. (Citation: career overview and affiliations)