Els Setze Jutges facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Els Setze Jutges
|
|
|---|---|
| Origin | Catalonia, Spain |
| Genres | Nova cançó |
| Years active | 1961–1968 |
| Past members |
|
Els Setze Jutges (pronounced "Els Set-ze Joot-jes") was a special group of singers from Catalonia, Spain. Their name means "The Sixteen Judges." They started in 1961 with three friends: Miquel Porter i Moix, Remei Margarit, and Josep Maria Espinàs. The group's name came from a fun tongue-twister in Catalan.
This group had a very important job: to sing in the Catalan language. At that time, it was not always easy to use Catalan in public, especially in modern music. Els Setze Jutges wanted to help make Catalan music popular and normal again.
Contents
The Group's Important Mission
Els Setze Jutges wanted to promote a new kind of music called the Nova Cançó (New Song) movement. This movement was all about singing in Catalan. They started by singing their own songs. They also sang Catalan versions of songs by famous French singers, like Georges Brassens.
Growing to Sixteen Members
The group began with just three members. But soon, more talented singers joined them. The group grew to include sixteen people. Some of the well-known members were Joan Manuel Serrat, Maria del Mar Bonet, and Lluís Llach. Other members included Delfí Abella, Francesc Pi de la Serra, Enric Barbat, Xavier Elies, Guillermina Motta, Maria del Carme Girau, Martí Llauradó, Maria Amèlia Pedrerol, Joan Ramon Bonet, and Rafael Subirachs.
The End of the Group
Els Setze Jutges stopped performing together around 1968. This happened as the political situation in Spain began to change. Also, some of the group's members became very successful professional musicians on their own.
Many of the first members, like Miquel Porter i Moix and Josep Maria Espinàs, decided to stop singing professionally. But other members, especially Joan Manuel Serrat, Lluís Llach, and Maria del Mar Bonet, became famous solo artists. Other successful members included Pi de la Serra, Barbat, Motta, and Subirachs.
Special Recognition
On April 13, 2007, Els Setze Jutges received a special award. It was the Medal of Honor from the Parliament of Catalonia. This award recognized their important work. They helped keep Catalan culture and language alive through music during a difficult time in history.
However, not everyone was completely happy at the ceremony. Maria del Mar Bonet pointed out that Catalan songs still needed more support in the media. Guillermina Motta chose not to attend. She felt the award came too late, as two of the original sixteen members, Miquel Porter and Delfí Abella, had already passed away.
See also
In Spanish: Els Setze Jutges para niños
