The TdmVB Fonds is the personal fonds of the renowned sardana composer Vicenç Bou i Geli (1885-1962). A native of Torroella de Montgrí, Vicenç Bou was trained by his father Genís Bou (flugelhorn), Pere Rigau (flabiol), Josep Reixach (violin), Josep Maria Soler and Josep Pi.

TdmVB conserves 484 musical manuscripts, 480 of which are authored works, while 4 are anonymous. Sardanas prevail in the “authored manuscripts” collection, with 187 sardanas for coblas (sardanas bands) and 120 for piano, some of them adaptations of previous versions. Of the 480 musical records it contains, 462 are handwritten works by V. Bou and the composers R. Bartomeus, L. Demare, E. Natam, P. Rigau, J. Santiago, P. Sarasate, C. Sivori, J. Suriol, E. Toselli, G. Verdi and A. Vives.

The small collection of “anonymous manuscripts” is comprised of 4 musical compositions written in the first half of the 20th century with a repertoire for coblas, music for orchestra and vocal music. TdmVB entered the former Historical Archive of Torroella de Montgrí in 1984 thanks to a donation by the family of Vicenç Bou i Geli. The collection contains a small document annexe of 120 letters received by Vicenç Bou between 1940 and 1962.

This fonds, along with TdmJP and TdmPR, is conserved in the Documentation Centre of the Museum of the Mediterranean. These fonds offer a sample of the repertoires and musical tastes in vogue in the Baix Empordà region between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries, from the sardanas for cobla to the dance music genres that used to be performed and danced at town festivals in that period. In the repertoire of these fonds, sardanas clearly predominate; however, they are joined by zarzuelas, music from the West Indies which became very popular at dance festivals, and fashionable tunes from Italian opera. The printed edition of the catalogue was issued in March 2009.¹

¹GRASSOT I RADRESA, Marta. Inventaris dels fons musicals de Catalunya. Volum 3: Fons del Museu de la Mediterrània de Torroella de Montgrí. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya. Departament de Cultura i Mitjans de Comunicació, 2009.- Arxius i documents. Eines de recerca, núm. 6.

Fonds Factsheet

Acronym: TdmVB

IFMuC Link: https://ifmuc.uab.cat/collection/TdmVB?ln=en

Title: Vicenç Bou i Geli Fonds

Archive and location:
Museu de la Mediterrània
The fonds is preserved at the museum's Centre de Documentació

Carrer d’Ullà, 27-31
17257 Torroella de Montgrí

Contact:
Tel: 972 755 180
Email: cdd.canquintana@torroella-estartit.cat

Date(s): 19th to 20th centuries

Extent and medium: 12 box files

Creators:
Vicenç Bou i Geli

Download the complete fonds factsheet HERE

Ms TdmVB: Au-468 cover