DONOSTIA, JOSE ANTONIO  

A leading figure in music in the Basque country, José Antonio Donostia studied at the Capuchin College in Lecároz, later joining the Capuchin order, the names José Antonio assumed in religion and Donostia indicating his origin in San Sebastián, the Basque Donostia. In music he explored in particular two elements: plainchant and Basque folk-music. He spent the Civil War years in France, returning afterwards to divide his time between Barcelona and Navarre.

Piano Music

Padre Donostia’s compositions for piano include four volumes of Preludios vascos (‘Basque Preludes’), among other works that draw on Basque sources.

Stage and Vocal Music

Padre Donostia’s stage works include settings of religious texts by Henri Ghéon, notably Les Trois Miracles de Ste Cécile (‘The Three Miracles of St Cecilia’) and La Vie profonde de St François d’Assise (‘The Profound Life of St Francis of Assisi’). He also wrote a Requiem.