Herrera was his teacher for some time, and, being aware of the child’s
great ability, suggested his father that he should be taken to Mondragon,
under Father Larramendi. (Father Larramendi was, at the time, San
Francisco’s church organ player. He was a musician of great fame, due to
his composition and also because of having invented a system to teach music.)
Altuna spent some time in Mondragon, and composed some music, too. In
1849, he moved to Madrid, and learned with the great master Eslava, who
recommended that he should move on to Paris, which he did. He became famous
there as a pianist and composer, and was very popular among the aristocratic
community. In such ambient did he meet Javier de Uribarren, a Basque, like
Altuna himself, and a very rich bankman. health was declining, Uribarren
offered him a job as the organ player of the Basque town of Lekeitio. In
addition to that, Uribarren presented the town of Lekeitio with a brand new
organ, the first Caval. Altuna gladly accepted the offer, and he settled down
in a peaceful, tranquil ambient, which helped him compose much more.