Anselm Viola
Pere Viola i Valentí, better known as Anselm Viola (Torroella de Montgrí, Baix Empordà, 1738 - Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, Bages, 25 January 1798), was a composer and teacher of music at the Catalan school of Montserrat. He was of the classic school of composition but with an open mind, as evidenced by his Magnificat in seven voices. He entered the Escolania de Montserrat between 1745 and 1750, where he had Josep Antoni Martí as a teacher, who introduced him to the Italian musical style of the time. It was as a novice of the monastery in 1756 where he took the name of Anselm, and once he had done the monastic profession in Montserrat, he moved to Madrid where he apprenticed to José de Nebra, composer of the court. Later he returned to Montserrat where he dedicated himself to musical education at the School (among his students there was Fernando Sor). His musical output consists of numerous sonatas for harpsichord, of clear pedagogical orientation, and of several religious works. Also worth mentioning are the 18 studies for bassoon solo and, above all, his concerto for bassoon and orchestra, one of the most important of the time for the instrument. He was the author of several sacred works.
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