In the last quarter of the 20th century more composers have become concerned about their relationship with the broad audience. In order to find a way to be heard and understood, many have turned to different styles and types of music, more traditional or more popular. Hybrids of genres and styles become typical; combinations of the opposites cannot surprise anyone any more. Modern arts offer such a variety of styles, forms, genres, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to mention that humanity has never experienced so fully all possible sorts, kinds, and breeds of music, as we do today.

One such group breaking ground in the music world is Tirri Tarra, an orchestra, which joins forces with a chorus to create an amalgamation of rock and symphonic orchestral music.

In the light of the aforesaid “postulate” we want to bring to your attention one of the fruits of Sergio Zurutuza, a young and promising composer, who establishes his composing method in his newest opus “Luz Negra” created and recorded in collaboration with Jaime Mayo as an innovative, experimental, bold work of art that continues to take shape. It is important to note that the pieces created by Tirri Tarra have never been analyzed in print. Therefore, it is the hope of this music professional to establish a point of reference for these works.

Before delving into the musical analysis, it is important to understand the origins of this musical ensemble. Although the group has only two records under its belt and curious beginnings, Tirri Tarra has evolved into the self-proclaimed risk takers of the symphorock world.

Tirri Tarra was founded 33 years ago in Pasajes San Pedro, a small town in Guipuzcoa, as a street band that played traditional Basque music and whose sole purpose, according to lyricist, Jaime Mayo, was to create a festive atmosphere. Its founder, Josetxo Gonzalez, a man with no formal musical training, has served as the sole and guiding force through its transformation as an orchestra. Adding to this curiosity is their conductor, Jose Ignacio Rios. Rios, who never formally studied orchestral direction, has served as the group’s conductor since its inception. Rounding out the collective of key players are guitarist, Jose Ramon Sabando, lyricist, Jaime Mayo and Sergio Zurutuza, composer and lyricist.

This article will determine whether the music forms and composition method of the cycle reflect the artistic intention and design of Zurutuza. It seems the whole cycle is an effort to depict the universe with its variety of ever changing appearances, where the process of gaining knowledge of the self comes through dramatic experience. Layer by layer, the composer reveals the depth of the universal soul. This article will show that the composer creates a model of a suffering, lonely person through different phases of doubts, anguish, reflection, internal struggle, desires, endless efforts to achieve oneness with the world, as a reflection of his own personal artistic experience and observation.


“Luz Negra” leaves an ambivalent impression from being somewhat incomplete. This may be rooted in its bold eclecticism, which is clearly a basic characteristic method of this composer. Zurutuza brings together musical characteristics of different epochs to tell the story of “Luz Negra,” as a painter would use different visual symbols to enact the historical or philosophical meaning of a painting.

The major interests of Zurutuza lie in timbre sonority, and colorful orchestration, mixing classical instruments with electronic and rock instruments where the principal role is given to an electric guitar and a synthesizer. He is very free, inventive and fluent in the vernacular of this music language. One could believe that he constructed a dictionary of symbols complete with a clear manual on how to use them. It is remarkable how Zurutuza uses the sound of the bell, a sound that is historically associated with omen, prophecy, and turning points. One of his strongest points is his use of his improvisatory skills; the body of work suggests that many pages of this score were created in the spirit of improvisation.

One can also deduce that he has very little interest in harmonic development; on the same chord progression, which is repeated faithfully and endlessly he builds rather large episodes. The harmony in general is quite simple diatonic and the modulations are very unsophisticated. Sergio Zurutuza rarely uses polyphony and the contrapuntal elements are very limited. In fact, rarely does he contrapuntally treat his music.

It is also apparent that, due to the lack of interest in formal music structure, the composer does not follow the rules of any standard music form. He wants freedom from any kind of scheme or structure.

The greatest achievement of creating a sense of unity in the composition technique of this work is the thematic transformation of the leitmotif that goes through the whole cycle like a diamond tube through the layers of soil. The listener experiences growing interest in following all the peripeteias of the leading motif, which takes so many different shapes, changing appearances as the musical fable develops.