Elementuak: Accordion Duo Transcriptions

Elementuak: Accordion Duo Transcriptions presents the debut recording of Expressio Duo, featuring accordionists Maria Zubimendi and Garazi Navas in a vibrant exploration of transcription across three centuries. The program bridges French Baroque courtly elegance, daring early orchestral modernity, and the evocative landscapes of Basque nationalism, all reimagined for two accordions.

The opening section draws from the refined theatrical world of Jean-Baptiste Lully and Jean-Philippe Rameau, where dance rhythms, ornamentation, and ceremonial brilliance are transformed through the breathing expressivity of the accordion. Rameau’s Gavotte et six doubles unfolds as a masterful sequence of variations, highlighting the duo’s nuanced articulation and dynamic shading.

At the album’s core stands Jean-Féry Rebel’s Les Élémens, beginning with the groundbreaking Le Cahos, whose striking dissonances symbolise primordial disorder. In the accordion transcription, these clusters acquire an almost modernist resonance, linking Baroque imagination with 20th-century sonic experimentation.

The final section turns toward Basque cultural identity through works by Aita Donostia and Jesús Guridi. Donostia’s Acuarelas Vascas evoke pastoral serenity and folk dance vitality, while Guridi’s El Caserío and Amaya bring lyrical warmth and rhythmic brilliance. The arrangements—crafted by Garazi Navas—translate orchestral colour into layered accordion textures of remarkable richness.

Expressio Duo Maria Zubimendi - accordion Garazi Navas - accordion