Escolania de Montserrat Escolania de Montserrat The Escolania de Montserrat, or simply the Escolania () is a boys' choir of sopranos and altos based at the Benedictine abbey Santa Maria de Montserrat near Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. When the repertory requires it, they are accompanied by the Montserrat Chapel Choir, composed of old choirboys and the monks of the Ministry Chapel Choir. The Escolania of Montserrat, which belongs to the Monastery of Montserrat, is one of the oldest boys choirs in Europe. Records show that the Escolania has existed as a religious and musical institution since the 14th century. It is composed of more
Llibre Vermell de Montserrat songs it contains. The monastery holds the shrine of the Virgin of Montserrat, which was a major site of pilgrimage during the time it was compiled. The purpose of the compilation is made clear by its anonymous compiler himself: The songs, therefore, were written for the pilgrims to have something appropriately "chaste and pious" to sing and dance to (round-dance). The songs are in Catalan, in Occitan and in Latin. While the collection was written near the end of the 14th century, much of the music in the collection appears from its style to originate earlier; the motet " Imperayritz