Elements

"Elementuak" is the debut album from Expressio Duo, the Basque accordion partnership of Maria Zubimendi and Garazi Navas. The program is conceived as a journey through three centuries, exploring the art of transcription as a creative dialogue between past and present that reveals the extraordinary expressive range of the modern accordion. From the refined elegance of the French Baroque to the evocative sound world of early 20th-century Basque nationalism, "Elementuak" demonstrates the instrument’s versatility through a repertoire originally composed for orchestra and keyboard instruments. Works by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau unfold with clarity, color, and rhythmic vitality, while Jean-Féry Rebel’s visionary "Le Cahos" from "Les Élémens" gains a strikingly modern intensity through the duo’s rich harmonic texture and dynamic control. The program concludes with music rooted in Basque identity. Aita Donostia’s "Acuarelas Vascas" evoke landscapes and traditional dances with impressionistic delicacy, and excerpts from Jesús Guridi’s "El Caserío" and "Amaya" celebrate folkloric energy transformed into symphonic brilliance. Recorded at the Manuel de Falla Auditorium in Granada, this release confirms the artistic depth of Expressio Duo and positions the accordion as a powerful mediator between tradition and reinvention in today’s classical landscape.