Ataúlfo Argenta

Ataúlfo Argenta
Born	Ataúlfo Exuperio Martín de Argenta Maza 19 November 1913 Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, Spain
Died	21 January 1958 Los Molinos, Madrid, Spain
Occupation	orchestral conductor
Years active	1943-1958
Known for	Spanish and French orchestral works, zarzuela

Ataúlfo Exuperio Martín de Argenta Maza (19 November 1913 – 21 January 1958) was a Spanish conductor and pianist.

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Argenta was born in Castro Urdiales, a coastal town in Cantabria, where his father was a railroad stationmaster. After his family moved to Madrid in 1925, he enrolled in the Madrid Royal Conservatory, studying under Manuel Fernández Alberdi.^[1]

Argenta began to conduct the Orquesta Nacional de España (Spanish National Orchestra) more often. In January 1946, his radio contract was not renewed. In 1946, the SNO had begun a search for a replacement for Bartolomé Pérez Casas, the aging conductor of the SNO. The candidates included Franz von Hoesslin, and Argenta renewed his acquaintance with von Hoesslin, who later died in a plane crash. Argenta later became the SNO’s assistant conductor, and in November 1946, the SNO's second conductor. On 2 January 1947, he was named joint director of the SNO, and conducted 80 concerts with the orchestra in one year.^[2]

In 1950, Argenta and Juana had their fifth and last surviving child, another girl. They settled in Los Molinos. In November 1950, Argenta conducted the Paris Conservatory Orchestra for the first time and continued to direct them regularly until his death. Also in 1950, Argenta began to conduct a series of recordings of zarzuelas for the Alhambra record label. He eventually made over 50 zarzuela recordings, and recordings of zarzuela selections.^[3] He conducted the soundtrack for the film La Cancion de Malibran, which premiered in October 1951.

On 15 February 1954, an article written by Argenta was published in the Madrid arts magazine Ateneo. It strongly criticized the Spanish musical scene under Franco, including criticism of Joaquin Rodrigo. Rodrigo himself responded in print. The resulting controversy forced Argenta to apologize for the article,^[4] and caused a rupture in Argenta's relationship with Rodrigo. He made his first appearance with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) in 1954, which led to several later commercial recordings for Decca.

During the night of 21 January 1958, he died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning at Los Molinos, Madrid.^[1]

In January 2008, the 50th anniversary of Argenta's death was commemorated in Spain with concerts, exhibitions and conferences,^[5] as well as the publication of two biographies.^[6]

The bulk of Argenta's recorded legacy consists of recordings of over 50 zarzuelas with Alhambra (Spanish Columbia).^[7] He also was to record perhaps as many as 80 classical pieces, many for Decca,^[8] such as Hector Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. For example, his famous stereophonic demonstration record España!, with the London Symphony Orchestra, made at Kingsway Hall in January 1957, featured Spanish-themed music by mostly non-Spanish composers. Other recordings include Manuel de Falla's El amor brujo with Ana María Iriarte, Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez with Narciso Yepes, Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain with Gonzalo Soriano, and more obscurely, his recordings of Francisco Escudero and Maurice Ohana. RTVE-Musica released a four CD set in 1997 of radio broadcasts featuring Argenta accompanying violinist Arthur Grumiaux in sonatas of Beethoven and Brahms, leading Yehudi Menuhin in the latter's violin concerto (SNO) and Martin Imaz in Francisco Escudero's piano concerto (BRSO), as well as orchestral works of Beethoven (SNO), and with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, works of De Falla, Tchaikovsky, Smetana, and Strauss.

• González-Castelao, Juan (2008). Ataulfo Argenta. Claves de un mito de la dirección de orquesta. Madrid: ICCMU. ISBN 978-84-89457-13-3.
• Fernandez-Cid, Antonio (2003). Ataulfo Argenta. Santander: University of Cantabria. ISBN 84-8102-336-1.
• Fernandez-Cid, Antonio (1971). Ataulfo Argenta. Madrid: Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencas.
• Wade, Graham (2006). Joaquin Rodrigo: A Life in Music Travelling to Aranjuez 1901-1939. UK: GRM. ISBN 978-1-901148-08-4.
• ABC Madrid (1940–1958). "ABC" (microfilm). Daily Editions. British Library. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Arriba Madrid (1940–1958). "Arriba" (microfilm). Daily Editions. British Library. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Ateneo Madrid (1952–1955). "Ateneo" (digital). Twice Monthly Editions. Ateneo Digital Library. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Radiotelevision Espanola. "Ataulfo Argenta" (Videocassette). Biografias. Instituto de Cervantes. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Ataulfo Argenta (1947–1958). "Various Recordings" (Vinyl & CD). British & Spanish National Libraries' Sound Archives. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

• Biography and Timeline on www.ataulfoargenta.com, the official web site of Ataúlfo Argenta (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 February 2008.
• Entry for Ataulfo Argenta^{[dead link‍]} on Allmusic. Retrieved 15 February 2008.
• Portrait of Ataúlfo Argenta painted by the Cantabrian artist Gerardo de Alvear (1887–1964). Retrieved 15 February 2008.
• Juan González-Castelao, Biography of Ataúlfo Argenta in the Orquesta Nacional de España programme for «Homenaje a Ataúlfo Argenta», January 25, 26, 27, 2008, pp. 5-12