Folk Songs in the Organ Music of Basque Composers

The organ culture of the Basque Country and Navarre developed under the influence of European trends, primarily associated with the emergence of Romantic organs and, secondly, with a reassessment of the role of music in Catholic worship. Basque composers who studied in France, Germany, and Belgium played a significant role in disseminating these ideas. Equally important was the strong national character of Basque music, often referred to as nacionalismo musical. The acutely perceived national distinctiveness of Basque music, known as musical nationalism, was also of great importance. Folk songs were closely linked to the colour local of Basque organ music; in several works, thematic material was drawn from collections compiled by musicologists Resurrección María de Azkue and José Antonio de Donostia. Padre Donostia was also an organist and composer who incorporated folk material into his organ works. Composer-organist Jesús Guridi similarly drew upon folk sources. This article analyzes organ compositions that incorporate folk songs and identifies principles for their adaptation to professional music genres. Gerver for the meaningful contribution in writing of this article, for valuable advice and important recommendations. For citation: Navarro Landaverria, G. A. (2025). Folk Songs in the Organ Music of Basque Composers. Contemporary Musicology, 9(4), 103−131. https://doi.org/10.56620/2587-9731-2025-4-103-131

Folk music · Folklore · Gratitude · Musical · Musicology · Optimal distinctiveness theory · Romance · Basque language and culture studies · Galician and Iberian cultural studies · Musicology and Musical Analysis