Nit dels Músics (Night of Musicians)
It is an annual festival in Cassà de la Selva which has been going on since 1976, in tribute to the musicians in town. A “cobla” (group of musicians playing a typical Catalan instrument) of more than fifty people from Cassà is formed. They play “sardanes” (traditional Catalan song) selflessly and spontaneously. The “sardanes” are all musicians with some connection to Cassà.
This event takes place on the first Friday of Festa Major (the annual town festival) in Plaça de la Coma, the heart of Cassà, or in Passeig Vilaret.
The history of Nit dels Músics (the Night of Musicians)
It all started in 1976 during a chat between some musicians from Cassà and members of the “sardana” association of the town. They organized the event and on the 11th June of 1976 the first edition took place. It soon became famous all around Catalonia.
The first four years were led exclusively by musicians who had been born or lived in Cassà. Since1980, other musicians taking part in “cobles” of Cassà joined the event: La Selvatana and Principal de Cassà, firstly, and Marina, Unió and Vila de Cassà during the years they have been in Cassà.
Throughout all these years, there have been two important ones. The 10th and the 20th anniversaries. Groups from all around Catalonia took place in these editions (4 “cobles” from Girona, one from Barcelona, one from Lleida, one from Tarragona and one from North Catalonia in France). They joined the musicians from Cassà forming a huge group of 150 people for the 10th anniversary and 175 people for the 20th anniversary, on the 9th of June of 1995, 4000 spectators and seven “cobles” from Girona.
This big festival of the “sardana” is a unique event and entered the Book of Catalan Records as the biggest performance of “sardana” in history.
Curious facts about la Nit dels Músics (Night of musicians)
There is a song that has been performed every year, El Sereno, composed by Josep Coll i Ligora. It has always been the last one of the evening, becoming a genuine hymn for the musicians in Cassà.
Nine “sardanes” have been composed exclusively for this event during all these years.
The role of the director has been essential, as the “cobla” is so long that musicians on one side can’t hear the ones on the other side.
In 1986 the book Els músics de Cassà, by Carles Malagrida, was presented and dedicated to the local musicians.