Benito Lertxundi

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Benito Lertxundi ( 1971 )

Benito Lertxundi Esoain (born January 6, 1942 in Orio , Gipuzkoa ) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and guitarist of the Basque language. Born in Spain's Basque Country Autonomous Region , he has been one of the leading figures in the Basque renaissance since the mid-1960s. He is also called the bard of Orio ( Orioko Bardoa ).

Life

Benito Lertxundi is the youngest of nine brothers. Because of his tendency to draw, he attended the Franciscan Franciscan School of Art, Escuela de Arte y Oficio, in Zarautz , where he was trained in clay and woodwork. After graduating from school, he worked first as a wood carver and then as a watchmaker. There he came to music by chance when he was supposed to repair a lute.

In 1965 Lertxundi took part with self-translated contemporary songs and guitar in a singing competition of the Donostiarrischen newspaper La Voz de España , which he won, whereby Mikel Laboa became aware of him. With this Lertxundi then belonged to the Basque group Ez Dok Amairu, which was formed in 1966 . She was part of a movement inspired by the sculptor Jorge Oteiza with the aim of rebuilding the Basque culture suppressed by Franquism. She founded the "New Basque Song" ( Euskal Kantagintza Berria ) and was particularly successful with the Baga-biga-higa show . Lertxundi was part of the group until it was dissolved in 1972.

In 1969 the government banned Lertxundi (and other artists) from performing in Gipuzkoa, and in 1971 also in Bizkaia .

In 1971 Lertxundi's first long-playing record was released (entitled “Benito Lertxundi”), a compilation of his previous singles. Since then he has released 16 more albums, the last one ("Ospakizun gauean") was released in 2018.

In 1980 Lertxundi made music together with the Kelly Family , which at that time had settled in Spain. A video recording was released in 1996 on the VHS tape "Searching for the magic golden harp".

Lertxundi is married to the musician Olatz Zugasti and has a daughter, Gratxina.

In 2014 Lertxundi was awarded the Gold Medal of the Diputación Provincial (Provincial Government) of Gipuzkoa and in 2016 he received the Adarra Prize ( Adarra Saria ) for life's work. His biographer Álvaro Feito called him "the most characteristic and symbolic contemporary Basque singer" ("más caracterizado y simbólico cantante vasco de la era contemporánea").

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Lertxundi's work includes self-composed and texted songs, compositions by texts by Basque and other poets (such as Xabier Lizardi or Fernando Pessoa ) as well as recordings of folk songs. His first records contain only vocals and guitar, later numerous other instruments (such as bass, cello, electric guitar, flute, harp, piano, keyboard, drums and, on some recordings, traditional Basque instruments) were added. The themes of his songs range from political protest songs to texts on Basque tradition (such as the Battle of Roncesvalles ) or the landscape and culture of Zuberoa to love songs.

The musicians who have accompanied him for years on his performances and recordings include Angel Unzu (acoustic guitar, bouzuki, percussion), Juantxo Zeberio (piano and synthesizer), Kutxo Ochoa de Eribe (violin), Pello Ramírez (cello and accordion), Gurutz Bikuña (electric guitar) and Olatz Zugasti (vocals, harp, synthesizer). Lertxundi himself sings and plays guitar and occasionally keyboard, harmonica or drums.

In a 1993 recording with the Paul Winter Consort , Lertxundi reads (in Basque translation) the story The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono .

Discography

  1. Benito Lertxundi : (Herri Gogoa, 1970) (previously numerous singles).
  2. Ez dok amairu (1971, Herri Gogoa), (2004, Elkar )
  3. Oro laño mee batek ... (1974, Artezi)
  4. ..eta maita herria, üken dezadan plazera (1975, Artezi)
  5. Zuberoa / Askatasunaren semeei (1977, Artezi, double album)
  6. Altabizkar / Itzaltzuko bardoari (1981, Elkar)
  7. Gaueko ele ixilen baladak (1985, Elkar)
  8. Mauleko bidean ... izatearen mugagabean (1987, Elkar)
  9. Pazko gaierdi ondua (1989, Elkar)
  10. Hunkidura Kuttunak I (1993, Elkar, double CD) (compilation)
  11. Hunkidura Kuttunak II (1994, Elkar, double CD) (compilation)
  12. Hitaz oroit (1996, Elkar)
  13. Auhen sinfonikoa (1998, Elkar)
  14. Nere ekialdean (2002, Elkar)
  15. 40 urtez ikasten egonak (2005, Elkar)
  16. Itsas ulu zolia (2008, Elkar)
  17. Oroimenaren Oraina (2012, Elkar)
  18. Ospakizun gauean (2018, Kantaita)

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Urkiri Salaberria: Entrevista Benito Lertxundi: "Cuando se ataca al euskara me siento dolido, porque yo también soy euskara". Retrieved January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  2. ↑ Julen and Fermin Uribeetxebarria: Benito Lertxundi Biografía. Retrieved January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  3. ^ A b Auñamendi Eusko Entziklopedia: Benito Lertxundi. Retrieved January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  4. ↑ Fernando González Lucini (Ed.): Benito Lertxundi. In: Canción con Todos. Retrieved January 8, 2017 (Spanish).
  5. ↑ Lete, Xabier. In: basqueliterature.com. Mari Jose Olaziregi, accessed January 8, 2017 (Spanish).
  6. ^ Nueva Canción Vasca. 1960-1985. Retrieved January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  7. ↑ EITB interview with Lertxundi. January 9, 2011, accessed January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  8. ↑ Gipuzkoa premia la dilatada trayectoria de Benito Lertxundi. In: El País . June 12, 2014, Retrieved January 8, 2017 (Spanish).
  9. ↑ Benito Lertxundi recibe el premio Adarra 2016. June 21, 2016, accessed on January 7, 2017 (Spanish).
  10. ↑ Igor Cubillo: Un libro repasa la carrera de Benito Lertxundi. In: El País. June 15, 2005, Retrieved January 8, 2017 (Spanish).
  11. ↑ Juanma Molinero: Cantante Benito Lertxundi: “Nunca me he sentido ante el público tan a gusto como ahora mismo” (interview). In: Deia. June 19, 2016, accessed March 3, 2018 (Spanish).
  12. ↑ Patricia Rodríguez: Benito Lertxundi recupera el cuento clásico de Jean Giono en un "disco de culto". In: El Diario Vasco. October 13, 2019, accessed January 18, 2020 (Spanish).
personal data
SURNAME Lertxundi, Benito
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Lertxundi Esoain, Benito (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Spanish singer, songwriter and Basque guitarist
DATE OF BIRTH January 6, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH Orio , Gipuzkoa