The Town Hall of Barcelona has a huge storeroom where there are, apart from all sorts of other things, hundreds of music instruments confiscated. Now I understand from the news that these are going to be destroyed if no one claims them. I don't know if, at the moment of these being seized, whether they were identified with a number or the name of the proprietor or user. I think there's little probability of anyone coming forward to present themselves as owner of this guitar or that clarinet, because to recuperate one of these instruments, one has to pay the sanction of 180€.
There is regulation established about such musical activities, including the existing Association of street musicians of Barcelona. This city had in the past permitted real assaults to the public, in the installations of loudspeakers and sound equipment with ultra aggressive potency. That I think should be sanctioned, not the music or the musicians.
Every summer, if you eat in Roses beach front restaurants, you will find (rather, they will find you) street musicians, solitary or mostly in groups of 2, 3 or 4, with variety of instruments. The musicians are usually dressed casually, but some are rather stylish and others even try to match up to harmonize with their music; and the Mariachi, the originally Mexican street musicians dressed in silver-studded outfits that look a bit like a Spanish bull fighter's, but with wide-brimmed hats. They play music to entertain you while you eat, or at the beach; quite pleasant really, and this adds festive atmosphere.
I have had some very good times thanks to these wandering street musicians, not just here in Spain, also, while I used to travel often all over the place, in cities like Munich, Vienna, New York, San Francisco and many other countries. I have very pleasant memories of some of them and, none used loudspeakers or any other amplifiers - the sound is pure and natural.
Once I had the chance to hear a young couple interpret the 'Santa España on cellos. And other songs, some melodic and soothing, others merrily cheerful. Curiously I saw them in the metro underground 2 years later, in Hong Kong!! They were university students playing music because they love playing music, and in the meantime earn some extra cash so they can travel to other countries to broaden their knowledge, playing music to earn their keep there. That's not the same as some others with a trumpet and drum, to gain some cash too but on the base of making noise.
I do wish the Town Hall would return the instruments to the rightful owners, perhaps with a warming that they should get permission first? A temporary license maybe? No loudspeakers to disturb the neighbours? Test their music standard first? There must be ways not to deprive the city with good music in the streets.
It's senseless waste to destroy music instruments, isn't it?
Tags: streetmusicians
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