Javier Badenes Palomar, a relative of Abel Martín who directs the Ars Citerior Collection and is known as a friend and artist of Eusebio Sempere, donated seven records from his personal library to MACA. This act was intended to support the museum’s market relevance and broaden its musical holdings, while also aligning with the contemporary art mission of the institution. The donation was approved by the Alicante City Council Board of Directors, and the transfer of these items to the Alicante Contemporary Art Museum was accepted to enrich the museum’s study, preservation, and display programs.
The donated items include pieces such as Russian Folk Musical Instruments and the Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 42, as well as the Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 36 attributed to Schoenberg, where Eusebio Sempere’s name is referenced within the program notes. These items contribute historical context and cross-disciplinary connections between music and visual art.
The collection also features works related to Maese Pedro’s altar tied to Falla’s Handbook, performed by a line of distinguished musicians. Soprano Isabel Penagos and tenor Julio Julián are noted, with bass Pedro Farres and harpsichordist Bruno Camino performing alongside soloists Odón Alonso from Milan’s La Scala. The disc dedicated to Sempere, performed by Odón Alonso, expresses a personal homage: a translator’s tribute and a heartfelt reflection from the time of the donation in the mid-1970s.
Additional entries in the donation include a Complete Study for Piano performed by Carlos Palacio and edited by Alberri Soart, SA, with connections to Madrid and Alcoi publishing houses. Other included titles are Dix Madrigaux for voices and continuo by Monteverdi, performed by the Lausanne Baroque Ensemble; Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois, Le Tour du Monde from Paris editions; and Four Seasons by Vivaldi, published by Decca with Karl Münchinger and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. These works collectively broaden the historical and cultural spectrum of the museum’s sound archive.
The donation took place on a recent signing day, when Badenes Palomar transferred seven records from his personal library to MACA for the museum’s care. The aim was to support preservation, research, and display, ensuring long-term access for visitors and scholars alike.
MACA will apply the same protection and security measures to this material as it does to its core collection, safeguarding the integrity of the items for future study and exhibition. The board’s approval recognized the value of the gift to Alicante’s cultural landscape and acknowledged the citizens who contribute to the city’s cultural vitality.
In the approval report, the board expressed gratitude to the Alicante City Council and to the people of Alicante for supporting institutions that share and sustain local culture, inviting ongoing participation in the stewardship of these works.