Javier Bello-Portu ( Tolosa, 1920–2004) was a

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

. He was founder of the choir Escolanía Felipe Gorriti in 1943, for whom he composed the majority of his fifty choral works. Other works were composed for another choir he founded in the

French Basque Country The French Basque Country (; ; ), or Northern Basque Country (, or , ), is a region lying on the west of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Since 1 January 2017, it constitutes the Basque Municipal Community (; ) presided ...

, the Basque Country Choir of

Bayonne Bayonne () is a city in southwestern France near the France–Spain border, Spanish border. It is a communes of France, commune and one of two subprefectures in France, subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques departments of France, departm ...

. His work was influenced by French impressionism and by the work of Father Donostia.

Works, editions and recording

* Pays Basque, * Tres canciones nostálgicas, * Un homenaje a Iparraguirre, * Don Miguel de Unamuno: tres sonetos * Tres canciones alegres, * Tríptico vasco o Tres canciones sentimentales * O vos omnes (1937) * Miserere (1946) * Ave Maria (1949) * A mi flor (1947) by Federico de Zavala (1916–1993) * A Belén - Pastores venid! (1942) two Christmas carols * Lastozko zubiya (1946) * Carta del Rey (1950) * Llanto por Martín Zalacain de Urbía (1952) for the character in

Pío Baroja Pío Baroja y Nessi (28 December 1872 – 30 October 1956) was a Spanish writer, one of the key novelists of the Generation of '98. He was a member of an illustrious family. His brother Ricardo was a painter, writer and engraver, and his ne ...

's novel ''Zalacain the Adventurer'' * Soule (1953) from the song "Adios ene maitia" * Canción de invierno (1957) poems from ''La fuente pensativa'' by

Juan Ramón Jiménez Juan Ramón Jiménez Mantecón (; 23 December 1881 – 29 May 1958) was a Spanish poet, a prolific writer who received the 1956 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his lyrical poetry, which in the Spanish language constitutes an example of high ...

* Berceuse de Reparacea (1957) lullaby of the Palace of Reparacea in Oieregi * Iparraguirre (1954) two songs by José Maria Iparraguirre, Nere amak baleki and Agur Euskalerriari, which had already been adapted in Un Homenaje a Iparraguirre (earlier version for mixed voices) * Eguerria! (1955) * No lloréis, mis ojos (1975) verses from ''Shepherds of Bethlehem'' by

Lope de Vega Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (; 25 November 156227 August 1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist who was a key figure in the Spanish Golden Age (1492–1659) of Spanish Baroque literature, Baroque literature. In the literature of ...

* In memoriam of Garat-Anthon Ayestarán (1987) * Don

Miguel de Unamuno Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo (; ; 29 September 1864 – 31 December 1936) was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, professor of Greek and Classics, and later rector at the University of Salamanca. His major philosophical ...

: Tres sonetos (1996) * Dos Fábulas de Félix María Samaniego: Las moscas, La Serpiente y la Lima (1997). * Donostiaco damachoac (1992) * Ostiraletan duzu (1992) * Plainte de la jeune châtelaine (1992)

Recordings

* Complete choral works I - KEA Vocal Group, dir. Enrique Azurza. NB013 2008 * Complete choral works II - KEA Vocal Group, dir. Enrique Azurza. NB019 2009

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bello-Portu, Javier 1920 births 2004 deaths Basque classical composers 20th-century Spanish composers 20th-century male composers Male composers People from Tolosa, Spain 20th-century Spanish musicians 20th-century French male musicians Spanish male musicians Spanish emigrants to France