Xavier Montsalvatge was a major contributor to Catalonian culture in the 20th century. His works for two pianos collect most of his musical preoccupations into a single programme. The jazz-tinted Barcelona Blues reflects his “passion for the ballet”, and the Tres divertimentos his fascination with ‘Les Six’. Borrowing the sonorities of Bartók, Sum Vermis expresses the “tortured symbolism” of Jacint Verdaguer’s poetry. One of Montsalvatge’s own favourites, the rarely performed 5 Invocaciones al Crucificado evokes biblical dramatic intensity, and the self-paraphrasing Calidoscopio looks back over the composer’s own creative past. Jordi Masó’s complete recording of Montsalvatge’s solo piano music can be found on 8.570744 and 8.570756.