InAugust1954,atageof77PabloCasals(1876-1973)performedBach’sG-MajorCelloSoloatAbbaye"Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa",aCatholicmonasterylocatedsouthofthesmallbordertownPradesinFrance(CataloniaofSpainontheothersideofborder).PabloCasalssettledinPradesinearlier1940’saftertheSpanishcivilwarin1930’s,andhecamebacktoPradaastheconductorandcellistat"PradesFestival"in1950’s.AsmallmuseuminPradesisdedicatedtothememoryofPabloCasals.
PabloCasalswasoneofveryfewpoliticallyactiveclassicmusicmusicianswhoalignedthemselvespoliticallywiththeAmericangovernment.HewasanardentsupporterforSecondSpanishRepublicin1930’s.Atage85,heplayedatWhiteHouseforJ.F.Kennedywhorewardedhimthe"(American)PresidentialMedalofFreedom"twoyearslaterin1963.
Arguablythisfilmed1954performanceprobablyisnotatthebestofPabloCasals.MostcriticsconsiderthatthebestperformancesofPabloCasalsonBachCelloSoloarebackinlate1930’sandthatexistonlyinaudiorecordingsunderEMIlabel.