From Castro Urdiales, where he was born in 1913, to the heights of orchestra conducting in his day, Ataúlfo Argenta, the centenary of whose birth is celebrated this year, broke moulds and crossed frontiers hitherto closed to Spanish music. He was encouraged to make the move from piano to conducting by his master Carl Schuricht, who no doubt recognised in him the qualities that secured him success in his short lifetime. The ambition that spurred him to address risky repertoires, an extraordinary sensitivity and a charisma little short of that of a film star made him a prominent figure of his day. His popularity and international success – his early death at the age of 44 prevented him from signing a contract in the United States as the best paid conductor in the world – make him unforgettable. The mark left by his career has gone down to posterity as an example for artists.
