«For some, water and more water, for others, fun». Music, wellbeing and sociability in the spa of Mondariz (Pontevedra, 1898-1931)

Abstract

Throughout the nineteenth century in Europe, thermal establishments played a crucial role in spreading music to regions remote from major cities and to different social classes, becoming cultural centers during the summer seasons. However, everything related to the musical activity of this industry within our borders is unknown, with the additional fact that the thermal habit is often attributed to the upper classes, overlooking the inherent characteristics of thermal establishments as sanatorium centers, which attract people from all social strata. This work aims to open a new field of research in Spain, focusing on the importance of spa resorts for musical production and social interaction, bringing this issue to one of the most visited thermal centers: the Mondariz spa. A center attended by prominent figures from the Spanish cultural scene, ranging from writers to singers from the Teatro Real, seeking treatment. It had a permanent quartet intended to animate concerts and evening social gatherings where both amateur and professional guests played music together, consisted of professors from the Society of Concerts, the Madrid Symphony, the Philharmonic, the National Conservatory, and foreign musicians in political asylum due to the Great War. Musical associations were formed within the spa to provide the workers with a higher education. Other artists, such as the pianist Carmen Pérez García (1895-1978), along with opera, zarzuela, and theater companies, are part of the wide-ranging cultural offering of concerts. The broad social spectrum of the spa has an impact on the repertoire, encompassing works by Wagner, as well as jazz and traditional Galician music.