Federico Monpou

Early years[edit]
Mompou was born in Barcelona to the lawyer Frederic Mompou and his wife Josefna
Dencausse, who was of French origin.[] !is brother Josep Mompou "###$%&#' became
a painter( his s)etch of a simple farmhouse appeared on the co*ers of all of Frederic+s
published music.[,]
Mompou studied piano under -edro .erra[/] at the 0onser*atori .uperior de M1sica del
2iceu before going to -aris, to study at the 0onser*atoire de -aris, which was headed by
3abriel Faur4, whom Mompou had heard perform in Barcelona when he was % years old,
[/] and whose music and performing style had made a powerful and lasting impression on
him.[] !e had a letter of introduction to Faur4 from 5nri6ue 3ranados, but it ne*er
reached its intended recipient.[,] !e entered the 0onser*atoire "with another .paniard,
Jos4 7turbi', but studied with 7sidor -hilipp, head of the piano department( he also too)
pri*ate piano lessons with Ferdinand Motte82acroi9,[,] and harmony and composition
lessons with Marcel .amuel8:ousseau.[/] !is e9treme shyness, introspection and self8
effacement meant that could not pursue a solo career, but chose to de*ote himself to
composition instead. 7n %; he returned to Barcelona, <eeing the war.[/] !is frst
published wor), Cants magics, appeared in %,=, mainly as a result of the ad*ocacy of his
friend >gustin ?uintas.[/]
1920s1950s[edit]
Mompou returned to -aris in %,, by which time his music was being regularly performed
publicly, by his former teacher Motte82acroi9 and others, and he found himself the darling
of -aris.[,] 7n %,, his Scnes d'enfants "%@$#', performed by Motte82acroi9, inspired
the French critic Amile BuillermoC to proclaim Mompou Dthe only disciple and successorD to
0laude Debussy.[] Mompou himself often performed his own compositions, but only at
pri*ate soirees, ne*er in public.[/] !owe*er, his time in -aris was not easy. !e published
no music between %/ and %E, when he left for his nati*e 0atalonia, <eeing the
3erman occupation of -aris. 7n that time, his father died and his brother became seriously
ill. Fhe .panish 0i*il Gar troubled him greatly. >nd his personal fnancial situation was
often dire enough to lead him away from music and into *arious business *entures,
including an attempt to re*i*e the traditional family bell foundry.[,]
Henneth MacMillan+s ballet La Casa de los Pjaros "The House of Birds', set to
orchestrations by John 2anchbery of *arious piano pieces by Mompou, was premiered at
.adler+s Gells in 2ondon in %@@, and was also staged at the Eth Festi*al de M1sica y
DanCa at 3ranada.
7n %@& appeared Don Perlimpin "also seen as Don Perlimpinada', a ballet written in
collaboration between Mompou and Ia*ier Montsal*atge and based on a a play by 2orca.
Most of the music was by Mompou, but Montsal*atge helped with the orchestration and
lin)ing passages, and added two numbers of his own.[E]
7n %@;, aged &E, Mompou married the pianist 0armen Bra*o "c.%,/[@] $ ,% >pril
,==;[&]'. .he was /= years his Junior( it was the frst marriage for both of them, and they
had no children.
Later years[edit]
7n %;E Mompou recorded his piano wor)s for the .panish label 5nsayo. Fhese in*aluable
recordings ha*e been issued on four 0Ds by both 5nsayo and Brilliant 0lassics.
Mompou+s music has also been recorded by notable pianists such as >licia de 2arrocha,
.tephen !ough, >le9andre Fharaud, and others. Both >rthur :ubinstein and >rturo
Benedetti Michelangeli made recordings of selections from the Canons i Danses. Fhe
great .panish soprano Bictoria de los Kngeles recorded Mompou+s haunting song cycle l
com!at del somni, and a *ideo from %; sur*i*es of her singing one of these songs in her
li*ing room with the composer as her accompanist.
During his career Mompou recei*ed numerous awards, includingL Che"alier des arts et
lettres "France', -remio Macional de M1sica ".pain', Doctor honoris causa, Nni*ersitat de
Barcelona "%;%'( and Medalla d+Or de la 3eneralitat de 0atalunya "%#='.
>n initial supporter of Franco+s regime, in Barcelona he became a member of the :oyal
>cademy of .an Jorge, but otherwise li*ed 6uietly there until his death at the age of %E,
from respiratory failure. !e is buried at the MontJuPc 0emetery in Barcelona.
>fter the death of his widow in ,==;, about #= unpublished and hitherto un)nown wor)s
were disco*ered in MompouQs fles at his home, and also in the fles of the Mational 2ibrary
of 0atalonia. .ome of them were gi*en performances in Barcelona in ,==# by Jordi MasR
and Mac Mc0lure. Many others were gi*en their premiere performances in ,==% by Marcel
Gorms.[;]