Jesus Guridi Bidaola (1886-1961) was a late romantic Spanish composer born in the Basque region. He studied with Vincent d'Indy and Joseph Jongen, and his music closely resembles Jongen's. He lived and taught in the Basque region until after the Spanish Civil War, when he moved to Madrid and remained there until the end of his life.

Esteban Elizondo plays this program of Guridi's works on the 3-manual, 36-stop organ built in 1889 by Stolz Freres in the Church of St Peter the Apostle in Bergera. Stoltz was a Paris firm in competition with Cavaille-Coll's successor, Charles Mutin. I have seen only one Stolz organ, and it was in an abbey church in Lima, Peru. It had been severely damaged by the frequent earthquakes common in Lima. It was beautifully crafted and probably tonally similar to the one heard in this recording. Being simply a straightforward, mechanical-action instrument, it was more conservative than Mutin's work. Near the Stolz case in the choir gallery were a pair of 17th Century Spanish organ cases, their contents likely also destroyed by earthquakes. Inside both were speakers for a Hammond electrone. From 1948 on Guridi was the sales representative for Hammond in Spain. Could he have had something to do with that installation?

Elizondo plays well, and the organ sounds lovely. This will be expand your knowledge of regional composers of the late romantic period.

BLAKELY