Recorded live at the opening concert of the 7th Barcelona Festival of Song, celebrated on June 30th, 2011, at the Sala Oriol Martorell of Barcelona´s Auditori, this CD is an invitation to discover and appreciate the music and poetry of some of the most important Latin-American and Spanish composers and writers of the last century.

Singing in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Quechua and Nahuatl, Patricia Caicedo invites us to a universe full of color, sensuality, tenderness and poetry: the world of the Latin-American and Spanish Art Song.

This musical journey starts in Catalunya with three songs by perhaps the most prolific Catalan art song composer of the last century, Eduard Toldra (1895-1962). The songs are: "Aquarela de Montseny," "Festeig," and "Romanç de Santa Llucia."

We continue the journey, to Colombia, with a selection of songs by composer Jaime León (1921). Patricia interpretes León's songs with special tenderness due to the closeness she has to the composer. We hear the songs 'Más que nunca," with lyrics by Maruja Vieira and "A ti", with lyrics by José Asunción Silva, both very well known Colombian poets. Continuing with León we hear four children's songs, the first one, "Don Paramplin," with lyrics by Eduardo Carranza and three children's songs written with lyrics by Ecuadorian composers: "Caballito de Madera," "El muñeco dormilón" and "La tunda para el negrito."  These last 3 children's songs belong to a collection, entitled "Pequeña, pequeñita." All of León's songs are published by Mundo Arts Publications, comprised of two volumes, edited and compiled by Patricia Caicedo.

Flying to Argentina we hear the song "Encantamiento," with lyrics by Chilean Nobel Prize winner Gabriela Mistral and music by Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000). We also hear two songs by Alberto Ginastera (1916-1985): "Canción al árbol del olvido," and "Canción a la luna lunanca." These two songs were the composer's Opus 1 and 2 when he was a student at the conservatory in Buenos Aires.

Our adventure continues in Mexico, with songs by Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940) and Salvador Moreno (1916-1999). By Revueltas we hear two songs belonging to the collection of children's songs written with the poetry of the Spanish Federico García Lorca: "El Caballito," y "La Canción tonta."  By Salvador Moreno, a Mexican composer who spent many years living in Barcelona, we hear two songs that are part of his cycle of songs in the Nahuatl language: "No natzin," and "Ihcuac Tlaneci."

Continuing with songs written in indigenous languages, we fly to Perú, to discover the song "Suray-Surita," written by Theodoro Valcárcel (1898-1942). Valcárcel was a very important figure responsable for the development of the indigenous nationalistic movement in his country. The songs belong to the historical collection of songs titled "32 cantos del alma vernácula," written in 1936. This collection is considered a landmark in the history of the Latin-American Art Song history.

We finally land in Brazil to hear songs by some of its most acclaimed composers of the last century. By Heitor Villa-lobos (1887-1959) "Estrela e lúa nova," by Waldemar Henrique (1905-1995) "Rolinha," by  Camargo Guarnieri (1907-1993) "Vai Azulão," by Jayme Ovalle (1894 - 1955) "Azulão," and by Marlos Nobre (1939) the song "Dengues de mulata Desinteressada." Especially interesting is hearing two different songs which use the same lyrics by Manuel Bandeira, the celebrated Azulão originally set to music by Ovalle. To close the concert Patricia and Irene presented the song "Fresas maduritas," by nationalistic venezuelan composer Antonio Estévez (1916-1988).

We hope that in listening to this CD, you too can experience the same emotion and excitement as the audience felt the night of the opening concert of the 7th Barcelona Festival of Song.

Complete song list:

Catalunya
Eduard Toldrá (1921-) | Catalunya
•    Aquarella del Montseny (poesía de Mn. P. Ribot)
•    Recança (poesía de J. Carner)
•    Festeig (poesía de J. Maragall)
•    Romanc de Santa Llucia (poesia de J.M. Sagarra)

Colombia

Jaime León (1921-) | Colombia
•    Más que nunca (Poetry: Maruja Vieira)
•    A ti  (Poetry: José Asunción Silva)
•    Don paramplín (poetry Eduardo Carranza)

•    Canciones Infantiles
I.    El muñeco dormilón
II.    El caballito
III.    La tunda para el negrito

Argentina

Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000)
•    Encantamiento

Alberto Ginastera  (1916 – 1983)
•    Canción al árbol del olvido
•    Canción a la luna lunanca

Mexico

Silvestre Revueltas (1899-1940)
•    El caballito
•    Canción tonta

Salvador Moreno (1916-1999)
•    No nantzin
•    Ihcuac tlaneci

Perú

Theodoro Valcárcel (1898-1942)
•    Suray-Surita

Brasil

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
•    Estrela é lua nova  (poesía popular)

Waldemar Henriques (1905-1995)
•    Rolinha

Camargo Guarnieri (1907-1993)
•    Vai Azulao

Marlos Nobre  (1939)
•    Dengues de mulata dessinteresada

Jayme Ovalle  (1939)
•    Azulao (poetry by Manoel Bandeira)

Venezuela

Antonio Estevez
•    Fresas maduritas