An introduction
This is the English language web site of ausArt records, the Basque classical label. Here we present you with our catalogue and artists. You are also invited to visit our other sites www.doinu.com, www.basque-media.com and www.ausart24.com. We also recommend a visit to the Basque Composers archives at www.eresbil.com.
We would like to familiarize you with the Basque classic repertoire. To that end we are including all sorts of information related to the musicians featured in our catalogue: biographical notes, photographs and free mp3 downloads. We have also included a listing of all our commercially available CDs. We hope you will find this visit useful and the music enjoyable.
In the page COMPOSERS you will find a list of composers' names each linked to their respective biographical notes, discography and available music for free mp3 downloading.
Under the tab FRIENDS you will find the list of the artists that have collaborated with us over the years. Some of them are linked to biographical notes, photos and free mp3 downloads.
In the page CATALOGUE, you will find an uptodate, May 2008, catalogue of all our commercially available titles.
We are constantly adding new material to this web site so feel free to call in whenever you like.
ausArt records
Founded in 1994 with the objectives of promoting the Basque classical repertoire and the work of artists living in Vasconia and of recuperating forgotten recordings, over the years we have developed a catalogue of about 140 commercial titles mainly, but not exclusively, of choral, piano, organ and church music, and again mainly but not exclusively, by Basque composers.
Juan Padrosa
After a long illness Juan died on June 13th. He is survived by his widow, Elisa, and two children. It is no exaggeration to say that Juan was and remains our star artist. With him we have recorded memorable works of art that had it not been because of his generosity, work and dedication would still remain in never-never land. Indefatigable and always in good humour, he not only guided us through the secrets of pianoship and the Basque and Spanish piano repertoires but also took us into the realm of the acoustics of international concert halls, the sound and smell of the Mediterranean wind in his native San Feliú de Guixols, Catalonia, what Stravinsky had commented upon witnessing the Sardana being danced in the Barcelona streets, or Artur Rubistein's mastering of the Zortziko rythm. All vital, lovable, unforgetable pearls of joie de vivre. This is his page.
GOIAN BEGO - let him be in Heaven. Juan Rekarte
we support real stereo
We support REAL STEREO as defined and developed by Alan Blumlein and, over the years, by countless other recording engineers and we have made stereo recording our practice. However, we must also point out that a third of the titles in our catalogue have come from mono radio recordings. These we have edited as such. All new titles with the exception of aArus041 - a mono recording - and aArus034 and 053, which are studio recordings not made by us, are real stereo recordings. All our booklets include a description of the equipment used in the recording and editing process. Thus, we have designed this logo.
On packaging, boxes ...and shipping
As a record label we have only edited - at least until we started our 24-bit audio venture - CDs. We have traditionally marketed these in the standard "jewel boxes". But over the years we have become increasingly discontented with them as they extremely fragile and very easy to scratch. In 2005, we developed a case-booklet alternative held together by a metal spiral. This new booklet proved to be very popular but its assembly is very delicate and labour intensive. Last year, 2007, we were supplied with polypropilene cases - similar to DVD cases but with CD measurements - which were a Heaven sent gift. Lighter than the "jewel box", they are unbreakable, scratch resistant, easy to assemble and they do not need cellophane wrapping - a small contribution to fighting global warming. Thus, we have decided to phase-out our "jewel boxes" and ship all pre-2007 re-issues in the new polypropilene cases. We know they are not universally popular but we are guaranteed that your orders get to you whole. Also, as they have, approximately, the same measurements as the "jewel box", they present no storage problems. We will also ship boxeless CDs, that is, you will get the CD plus the inlay and booklet in a cellophane envelop, directly from this site - once the shop facility is activated - at a discount of 1€.
what's new
03-06-2008 We have added biographical notes on Eduardo Baranzano and Iñaki Cárcamo.
23-06-2008 We have added a biographical note on Don Hilarión Eslava
20-08-2008 We have started implementing a new cataloguing system.