José María Usandizaga

Who was José María Usandizaga?

José María Usandizaga was a Spanish Basque composer.

A native of San Sebastián, Usandizaga began his musical studies in his hometown before moving to the Schola Cantorum in Paris. There, he was a composition pupil of Vincent d'Indy, and he took piano lessons from Gabriel Grovlez. From 1906 he was back in Spain, where he won success with his works for the stage and a number of other pieces. Usandizaga succumbed to tuberculosis in 1915.

Most of Usandizaga's music is based on Basque themes; among his works are several chamber pieces, some rhapsodies, and the operas Mendi Mendiyan and Las golondrinas. A third opera, the lyric drama La llama, was left incomplete after his death; this, too was completed by his brother.