He was largely self-taught. As a cellist, he was celebrated for his interpretations of J S Bach's unaccompanied suites. He wrote instrumental and choral works, including the Christmas oratorio The Manger. He was an outspoken critic of fascism who openly defied Franco, and a tireless crusader for peace. Casals was born in Tarragona. His pioneer recordings of Schubert and Beethoven trios 1905, with violinist Jacques Thibaut and pianist Alfred Corot, launched his international career and established the popularity of the cello as a solo instrument, notably the solo suites of J S Bach recorded 1916. In 1919 he founded the Barcelona orchestra, which he conducted until leaving Spain 1939 to live in Prades in the French Pyrenees, where he founded an annual music festival. In 1956 he moved to Puerto Rico, where he launched the Casals Festival 1957, and toured extensively in the USA.
