Aita Donostia
Born in 1886 in San Sebastián his name was José Gonzalo Zulaica Arregui. At an early age he joined the Capuchin Fraternity taking, as was the custom then the name of José Antonio de San Sebastián which he later changed to José Antonio de Donostia.
Due to the titanic work he carried out in favour of Basque music - both popular and "cult" - he became popularly known as "Aita Donostia" the name by which he is known nowdays. Aita in Basque means father. His first music teacher was Ismael Echazarra in the capuchin college of Lekaroz and he later followed them up with Bernardo de Gabiola in San Sebastián and Adriá Esquerrá in Barcelona.
Between 1920 and 1921 he studied in París with Eugéne Cools who was to leave a great imprint in Donostia. Although he gave special attention to the composition of sacred music of refined and modern style, he became popular through his profane choral works and his Basque Preludes for piano (ausArt records, catalogue number aAr002).
His ethnomusical discoveries made him a savant i this field, specialy in relation to Basque and Pyrenean folklore. His musical works have been edited in twelve volumes and his literary ones occupy another nine including his Cancionero Vasco. He cultivated almost all musical gendres. His Lied en French, Catalan, Spanish and Basque are worth mentioning. He died in Lekaroz the 30th, August, 1956.
Among his works are: Missa pro defunctis, Poema de la Pasión, Motets, Christmas songs, Basque choral songs, Piano preludes, Itinerarium mysticum for organ, music for the theatre: La vie profonde de Saint François d'Assise and Les trois miracles de Sainte Cécile, orchestral works, etc.
(taken form musikaste.com)
DISCOGRAPHY:
At ausArt records we have been "tied" to father Donostia right from the beginning: our very second title consisted of his Complete piano works for piano solo. At present, these are his works in our catalogue:
aAr002 Aita Donostia piano musika. The complete piano solo works. P.J. Rodríguez, piano
aAr033 J. A. de Donostia Sacred Choral Music. A selection of motets incluiding the Poema de la Pasión.
aAr034 J. A. de Donostia Profane Choral Music
aAr044 Aita Donostia Missa pro defunctis. Donosti Ereski Abesbatza Choir. A historical recording conducted by Maestro Bello Portu who had premiered in 1948 this work with Father Donostia present.
aArus029 Infantiles (Children's music). piano music for 4 hands. Duo Aristizabal - Barandiaran.
aArus043 De música popular vasca. A. Mentxaka / A. Olea. The musical illustrations to a conference on Basque popular music given by Father Donostia in 1916.