Antoni Gaudí's monumental temple La Sagrada Familia is a universe within a building. It's mass of stone and metal is bathed in coloured light diffused from dazzling stained-glass windows. The colossal structure is supported by great pillars inspired by the shapes of tree trunks that reinforce the impression of a spiritual forest. Around the main access points to the basilica are three great facades: Nativity, Passion and Glory. Each is a visual world unto itself, stylistically apart yet united by Gaudí's grandiose vision. These three facades are the inspiration of my three-movement A Gaudí Symphony, a sequence of narratives. The visual journey, from the representational to the abstract, is something I also tried to mirror in the music. When I visited La Sagrada Familia in October 2019 there was still scaffolding to support the work on the remaining towers. Whereas A Gaudí Symphony is inspired by that unique building, I hope that my musical structure can stand alone as an homage to Gaudí in it's own right. - Richard Blackford
