Josep

Josep Barberà Humbert

Barcelona , 27 de gener de 1877
Barcelona , 19 de febrer de 1947

Composer i Teacher

Composer and Teacher

He studied at Conservatori del Liceu under Costa Nogueras, Isern, Sánchez Gabanyach and Eusebi Daniel, and Felip Pedrell. From the 1890s he conducted Orfeó Martinenc. There, he developed a growing interest in folksong, something that would lead him to become a contributor to the Obra del Cançoner Popular de Catalunya. His professional life revolved around teaching, becoming director of the Conservatori del Liceu between 1924 and 1938. From the 1920s, he studied the role of music in primary education together with Maria Montesori. Furthermore, he presented papers at conferences and translated and wrote reference books on the topic. He also wrote harmony and composition treatises, some of which remain unpublished. Among his output, he harmonized pieces for choir and composed small pieces for the piano, as well as symphonic and organ music.