VOLUME 12 OF THE BASQUE COMPOSERS COLLECTION IS PRESENTED, DEDICATED TO BELTRÁN PAGOLA

The Francisco Escudero Conservatory of San Sebastián has been the site chosen to present the media with the Basque National Orchestra's latest recording. Iñigo Alberdi, the Orchestra's general director, Rubén Gimeno, the recording's musical director and Iñaki Otaño, the vice-president of MONDRAGÓN, representing the institution sponsoring the recording, have participated in this press conference. Various descendents of Beltrán Pagola were also present during the ceremony.

The previous volume included the work by one of the most important contemporary composers, Luis de Pablo, the Basque Composers Collection visits the past again and collects part of Beltrán Pagola's symphonic work in this twelfth volume. In addition to his facet as a creator, Pagola was, since his professorship in Harmony and Composition at the Conservatory of Music of San Sebastián, professor of composers like Francisco Escudero, José Mª Usandizaga, Pablo Sorozabal and Tomás Garbizu, now also collected in the Basque Composers Collection.

The maestro, Rubén Gimeno, stated in the presentation of this monograph, that Pagola's work has been quite a discovery for him, while pointing out Pagola's bold composition harmony and his unique characteristic language which, according to the director, characterises a good composer, and the rich instrumentation of the works.

On his part, the vice president of MONDRAGÓN, Iñaki Otaño, has reaffirmed the corporate group's support for Basque culture through the Basque Composers Collection and has confirmed its endorsement to reach fifteen volumes.

The CD is made up by the Allegro Appassionato for the Sonata on Basque motifs, La modista Soñaba (The dressmaker dreamed)... (Symphonic caprice), ¡Donosti! (Humoristic caprice for a symphonic orchestra), and the Symphony on Basque chants.

Luis de Pablo, Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga, Aita Madina, Tomás Garbizu, Aita Donostia, Pablo Sorozábal, Francisco Escudero, Andrés Isasi, Jesús Arámbarri, José Mª Usandizaga and Jesús Guridi precede Beltrán Pagola in this collection. His four symphonies, a sinfionietta, several poems, caprices and symphonic fantasias make this composer from San Sebastián the most important Basque symphonist.

For the first time, maestro Rubén Gimeno, who has directed the Orchestra in different projects, intervenes in this Collection converted into an essential point of reference in Basque symphony music. All the CDs in the collection end with our thanks to the Basque Government's Department of Culture, the main supporter in this Basque record production project and the MONDRAGON company, firmly committed with expanding the Orchestra's record label production through this compilation which has become a point of reference.