artist
Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny
birth
Manresa, Spain, 1929
death
Manresa, Spain, 18-1-2021
see too
Mestres Quadreny, Josep M.
last update
23-04-2025
Born in Manresa, Catalonia, in 1929, Josep M. Mestres Quadreny has been one of the most important reformers and promoters of contemporary music in Catalonia. His active interest in revitalising culture in the fifties and sixties led him to take part in private cultural activism initiatives such as La Ricarda and Club 49. Meanwhile, his creative affinity and friendship with artists such as Joan Brossa, Joan Miró, Pere Portabella, Carles Santos and Moisès Villèlia led to the creation of collective works. Quadreny's music is characterised by the constant renewal of sonority and the use of new composition techniques and instruments. His work encompasses many different areas, from conventional scores to graphic scores, the use of computers, compositions based on mathematical algorithms and theories of chance. Aside from being one of the first musicians in Spain to use computers to generate compositions, he was also a pioneer in the construction of graphic scores that explored possibilities beyond the traditional staff.

He premiered his first composition at the 5th Bayreuth International Youth Music Festival in Germany in 1953. Since then, his compositions have been performed on stages around the world. He has also published books with Joan Brossa and Perejaume, and composed music for filmmakers. He has written numerous essays on music, including Pensar i fer música (2000).
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documents

22 results
Self service -- Fons #05: Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny [Publicació audiovisual]
document
4-3-2013
A.HIS.08081
Procés de treball -- Fons #05: Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny [Publicació audiovisual]
document
4-3-2013
A.HIS.08080
Club 49 -- Fons #05: Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny [Publicació audiovisual]
document
4-3-2013
A.HIS.08079
Josep Mª Mestres Quadreny parla de la influència de Cage a Catalunya [Publicació audiovisual]
document
2012
A.HIS.08011
Poesia escènica I: al voltant de Dau al Set, de Joan Brossa [Enregistrament audiovisual activitat]
document
26-4-2012
A.HIS.00462
Joan Prats i la música
document
1995
A.MBO.0002.005
Informe acerca de la crisis musical en Barcelona. Actuación municipal al respecto : síntesis de la conferencia dada al Club 49 por Don José Casanovas
document
[196-?]
A.MBO.0012.026
Carta : Michigan, a Josep M. Mestres Quadreny, Barcelona, 1965 des. 27
document
1965
A.MBO.0012.032
Prólogo / Josep M. Mestres Quadreny
document
[196-?]
A.MBO.0012.025
La Suite bufa. MACBA es viu [Enregistrament audiovisual activitat]
document
8-3-2014
A.HIS.03504
Pensament i música a quatre mans. La creativitat musical als segles XX i XXI [Enregistrament audiovisual activitat]
document
12-3-2015
A.HIS.03524
Carrer -- Llocs de pas [Enregistrament audiovisual activitat]
document
28-7-2006
A.HIS.06847
Quartet de catroc -- Fons #05: Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny [Publicació audiovisual]
document
4-3-2013
A.HIS.02930
Art en veu alta: Josep Mestres Quadreny -- Art i acció. Entre la performance i l'objecte, 1949-1979 [Enregistrament sonor visita guiada]
document
28-10-1998
A.HIS.06842
[Dues cartes de Rosa Maria Quinto i Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny a Joan Brossa i a Pepa Llopis]
document
1981
A.JBR.01679
Carta : [Londres], a Pepa [i.e. Pepa Llopis], Barcelona, 1981 ag. 21
document
1981
A.JBR.01679.002
Los cuatro espejos cuadráticos de Quadreny = Els quatre miralls quadràtics d'en Quadreny / Francesc Cornadó ; [obres musicals: Josep M. Mestres Quadreny]
document
2010
A01735
Carta : [Londres], a [Joan Brossa], Barcelona, 1981 ag. 21
document
1981
A.JBR.01679.001
Carta : Santillana (Cantàbria), a Joan Brosa [i.e. Joan Brossa], Barcelona, [19--]
document
[19--]
A.JBR.02376
Carta : [Sant Carles de Peralta (Eivissa)], a Pepa i a Joan [i.e. Pepa Llopis i Joan Brossa], [Barcelona], 1994 abr. 1
document
1994
A.JBR.01714
Variacions essencials : violí, viola, violoncel i percussió / Josep M. Mestres-Quadreny
document
1972
A03972
Variacions sobre un tema de Haydn / [lletra de] Perejaume ; [música de] Josep Maria Mestres Quadreny
document
1992
A03909