ARGENTINA DURAN

RAPSODIA MEXICANA

Bravo Music

Argentina Durán, solo piano.

The opening song of the Cuatro Danzas Mexicanas Suite by Manuel M. Ponce sounds like a spontaneous jazz improvisation.  However, Argentina Duran is a respected classical pianist, and this is her second album release. She is praised as a talented, young, female, virtuoso musician.

This album was recorded in Mexico City and produced by Jose Luis Esquivel and Rosino Serrano. Ms. Duran presents a selection of works by Mexican composers from different eras and covering a wide variety of styles.  This is her second solo album titled, “Rapsodia Mexicana” that translates to Mexican Rhapsody.  It includes her interpretation of romantic, nationalist and impressionist musical pieces all written by Mexican composers. The first four tunes are part of the suite of music that opens this album. It’s composed by Manuel M. Ponce.  She also plays compositions by Felipe Villanueva, Jose Rolon and some less acknowledged composers like Jesus Corona who is the author of the work that bears the name of this album.

Duran is playing the exceptional Yamaha CFX grand piano, and this album is the first classical piano album produced in Mexico with Dolby Atmos audio technology.  Specialized technology was employed to capture the intimacy, depth and details of Diva Duran’s piano playing, using top of the line stereo/ surround sound microphones and keeping post-production work at a minimal.  The engineers wanted the naturalness of her concert to dominate and to let her brilliance shine. For example, listen to her interpretation of track #7, “Marchita El Alma.” You will hear Duran’s passion, excitement, and the drama she pumps into the 88-keys.

Argentina Duran is the first female pianist to become the principal of the National Symphony Orchestra.  She represents a new generation of concert musical performers.  She is a graduate of the Faculty of Music at the Universidad Veracruzana, and she holds a master’s degree in Mexican Classical Music Performance from the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico.  Always striving to learn more, study more, be more, she pursued postgraduate studies at the Chicago College of Performing Arts.  Her growing discography includes the album “El Sonido de la Plata (the Sound of Silver)” that was released in 2022.  She also participated in the album “Abstracciones” in 2021. It was my distinct pleasure to review this classical album by an up-and-coming star on the classical music horizon.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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