JOSEP CERVERA - BRET
Peralada 1883 - 1969 Roses
Musician, composer and performer for double bass
James Testi in his biographical book: Josep Cervera and Bret "The Sorcerer's bass" in Chapter 5 entitled CAREER AND LIFE "THE PEPS," explains origins of this couplet:
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DISSENT
The so-called dissidents, so romantically called by he writer Pere Corominas, was basically the birth of "Antiga Pep".
In October 1874, there was a disagreement between the musicians of the "Band of Figueres" due to the replacement flabiolaire Gimbernat by the son of Pep Ventura, Benet, who was then 17 years. The musicians Terrerol and Codina toed were the instigators of the dissidents who left the couplet Figueres sectioned into two. Codina toed and were left with the "Band of Figueres' and Pep Ventura, with his son, went to the" Band-Orchestra Erato ", which was then known as the" Pep's Coblason. "
Shortly after the death of Pep Ventura (1875), his son took control of the band and was called "the Son of the Pep Band," which brought the young Benedict over the next 16 years.
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THE DEATH OF "BENET"
In 1890 Benet Ventura dies . This meant the loss of the legacy of Pep Ventura, as in Benet never married and never had children.
Since 1890 until 1907, we have very few sources on the facts of this couplet-orchestra. In the dictionary of authors sardana "From A to Z" Riera, Serracant and Ventura, find information about the couplet "Pep Ventura" that says the couplet became "Anitga Pep".
Until my discovery of old contracts at the Casino Menestral Figueres, had never been clear when this change took place due to lack of information. A previous hypothesis was that after the death of Benet, the musicians wanted to somehow continue the tradition, taking the name of Pep Ventura.
CHANGE OF THE NAME
After the death of Benet, we find that the couplet "Pep Ventura" undergoes a change to become a mature and well-known couplet called "Antiga Pep". Since the early twentieth century to the couplet was in full form, it is impossible to have any witness of the time because now all the musicians are dead, being the last to die, Josep Cervera.
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Fortunately, there are places like the old Casino Menestral Figueres, where I found information in the form of contracts and letters to the board. A significant of these letters is dated 3 November 1880, is signed by Benet Ventura and carries a label bearing the name "Son of the Orchestra Pep" at the top left of document.5 Another letter found little after the death of Benet, dated December 26, 1892, is directed to the board and requested the appointment of the "Orchestra of Antiga Pep" for which he is the official orchestra of the Casino Interestingly Menestral.6 , this letter appears in the list of musicians, of which the bass turns out to be Felipe Cervera (Cervera uncle Josep).
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With these two letters, we can conclude that a fairly accurate name of "Antiga Pep" was chosen shortly after the death of Benet Ventura and then establish a direct link between offspring and the couplet "Pep Ventura" the couplet "Hijo de Pep" and the couplet "Antiga Pep".