This album, ¡Colombia Viva! Volume Two, is a continuation of Mauricio Arias-Esguerra's first piano-solo album, also titled ¡Colombia Viva!.
Recording & Production
Every work on this album is receiving its first professional recording.
Historical Context
The piano became a symbol of Colombian nationalism in the 1830s when the first Colombian pianos began to be built, as imported pianos often arrived damaged due to the country's difficult topography.
Performer Biography
Mauricio Arias-Esguerra, the pianist, has performed his own composition, Rapsodia Camaleónica, in Carnegie Hall.
Performer Biography
Mauricio Arias-Esguerra, the pianist on this album, won the First Chopin National Piano Competition in Colombia.
Composition History
Most of the pieces on this album were commissioned by Mauricio Arias-Esguerra, the pianist, with support from the Universidad de los Andes.
Recording & Production
The album includes improvisations by Mauricio Arias-Esguerra, some as preludes or interludes, and others for contrast.
