Pregària al Sant Crist de l’Esperança

The Passacarrers collection

Bands from all over the island of Mallorca have accompanied, and continue to accompany, the most significant moments in the lives of their people. In many cases, they parade with original music that has become an integral part of the celebration itself.

The Passacarrers collection was created to contribute to the preservation of this music which was made to be played while walking. At the same time, it aims to expand its reach beyond its traditional niche and make it accessible to a wider audience.

This music, which can range from funeral or processional marches to pasodobles and fast marches, is highly local. Many of these compositions are the work of musicians or directors from the bands themselves. Naturally, these are handwritten works that have been copied numerous times, with modifications made by different directors to adapt to the specific circumstances of each moment in the band’s history.

An exclusively digital edition has been prepared, including a complete score for the director and parts in march card format for the instruments.

With the publication of this new collection, the Balearic Federation of Music Bands and Music Associations seeks to disseminate the music of our bands beyond the boundaries of the individual towns where they are performed. By sharing these works, we aim to make them more widely known and to contribute to the preservation of the musical legacy of Mallorca.

Pere Antoni Jaume Garí ‘Medeta’ and Pregària al Sant Crist de l’Esperança

Pere Antoni Jaume (Llucmajor 1913 – 1973) began playing the trumpet, an instrument of which he was recognized as a performer, in the Banda de Llucmajor in 1924, then studying with its director Damià Font. Later, in Palma, he was a student of Josep Balaguer and Joan Maria Thomàs.

He directed the Orquesta de Llucmajor (1947 – 1956) and the Banda Municipal (1956 – 1973). He was a member of the Colegio Oficial de Directores de Bandas de Música Civiles (1955).

He set several texts by Maria Antònia Salvà to music and is the composer of the procession marches Nuestra Señora de Gracia and Plegaria al Santo Cristo de la Esperanza.

Plegaria al Santo Cristo de la Esperanza, composed in 1966, was premiered in Palma by the Band of the Palma Infantry Regiment no. 47, directed by Ramón Ballester, and also by the Municipal Band of Palma, directed by Julio Ribelles.

About this edition

This edition is based exclusively on handwritten material in the archives of the Societat Cultural Musical i Recreativa Sa Música (Llucmajor). The bulk of the material used was handwritten parts in various handwriting and a director’s score, also handwritten, that was supposedly written in concert pitch (in C).

As usual with the period material, the transpositions of some instruments have been updated and, in terms of instrumentation, a bass clarinet part has been added, a copy of the tuba part.

Also, a review of the notes has been carried out, in order to avoid errors resulting from the actions of the different copyists, and rhythmic coherence has been given to some parts, which differed from each other. Finally, the dynamics of the whole work have also been given coherence.