"Picasso never studied music, which perhaps accounts for several instances in which violinists depicted by the artist hold their instruments in the wrong hand." – Stewart Buettner
Picasso never had musical training nor formally studied music. He favored popular, contemporary music, and Kachur wrote that Picasso had “little commitment to the classical music tradition” (Kachur 253). This musical preference was a result of his lack of knowledge about the classical genre of music. Fernande Olivier, Picasso’s first mistress, explained, “[Picasso] might have liked [orchestra music] if he’d not been afraid of making foolish judgments, for he knew nothing about it all…he never went to a concert” (qtd. Buettner 104). The absence of childhood musical training perhaps left Picasso with an inability to find attachment to this more challenging music.
Though he lacked formal exposure to and appreciation for serious music, Picasso was surrounded by rich music culture from early on his life. He lived in Barcelona, the capital and cultural center of Catalonia, from 1895 to 1903. He had a number of documented friendships with significant musicians. These included the musicians of the Pichot family, three of whom frequently performed in Barcelona’s concert halls (Buettner 105). Picasso also maintained a friendship with Enric Morera, whose portrait he sketched. Morena was a prolific composer of opera and symphonic music and a choir director (Buettner 106).
However, despite these friendships, it was perhaps Picasso’s lack of connection with classical music that limited the effect of the music on Picasso. As discussed, it is only until after he visited Céret that we are able to see a significant influence of music on Picasso’s art. Kachur wrote about Céret, “This Pyrenean village in the foothills of Mount Canigou…offered little more than the Grand Café at the intersection of its two main streets lined with plane trees” (Kachur 254). However unimpressive the village was, Céret offered folk music that was perhaps more honest and free than the ‘serious’ music of Barcelona – regional music that could heavily influence the untrained ear of a great artist.