1908

The last San Fermín Festival just shortly before he died. On the 12th July he was presented with the insignia of the Great Cross of Alfonso XII at the Gayarre Theatre.

On the 16th September, he gave his last ever concert, performing the Adagio from Mozart’s Sonata No. 16, on one of his Stradivarius violins.

He died on the 20th September at his home, “Villa Navarra”, at the age of 64 from pulmonary emphysema, which had shown its first symptoms in January of that year when he was touring Switzerland.

On the 23rd September, his last will and testament was read, in which he bequeathed much of his music collection and personal items to the city of Pamplona. In his will, he left his Stradivarius violin and 20,000 francs to the Madrid Conservatory to set up a prize fund in his name, which eventually became the National Violin Award.

On the 25th September, his embalmed body was brought back to Pamplona. The funeral chapel was set up at City Hall for one day.

On the 27th September, his funeral was held at Pamplona Cathedral.

On the 3rd October, he was buried at the Berichitos Cemetery in the capital of Navarre.

Months later, his mortal remains were taken to a white marble mausoleum. The inscription reads: “Pablo Sarasate y Navascués. May 1909”, and there is an illustration of a violin surrounded by laurel leaves.

 

 

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Complete biography of Pablo Sarasate