KMSKA LATE – Gernika 85

Gernika 85 is the most personal and emotionally charged project of contemporary Basque composer Aitor Etxebarria. It represents a profound artistic and historical reflection on the bombing of Gernika (Guernica) on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War – an event that became known worldwide, partly through Picasso’s famous painting.

Gernika 85 is a symphonic work in four movements that combines passages where silence takes center stage with others of maximum dynamism, eccentric aesthetics, and minimalist landscapes. A perfect blend of ancient and contemporary music, accompanied by testimonies of survivors as a tribute to the tragic bombing.

In this project, Etxebarria merges his distinctive neoclassical style with ambient, electronic sounds, and Basque influences. Known for his cinematic, atmospheric compositions, he uses this power in Gernika 85 to evoke the emotions of mourning, devastation, and remembrance.