Ereditá includes works by composers from the universal piano repertoire such as Bach and Beethoven, but it also features some lesser-known pieces by the great Italian-Argentinian piano master and pedagogue Vicente Scaramuzza. This recording by Argentine-American pianist Marcelo Lian, produced by Avant Records, has been nominated for Best Classical Music Album at the 2025 Premios Gardel.
Ereditá, by Argentine pianist Marcelo Lian, who resides in the United States, serves as a tribute and expression of gratitude to his teachers, while also recognizing the pianistic legacy of the mentor of mentors, Vicente Scaramuzza. Regarding the selection of works, the performer explains:
“My teacher, Nilda Somma, was a disciple of Vicente Scaramuzza, the great Italian master who settled in Argentina and trained pianists such as Bruno Gelber, Martha Argerich, Sylvia Kersenbaum, among others.
When the Beethoven sonata cycle by Scaramuzza’s students was held in Buenos Aires, Nilda Somma was chosen to play the final sonata: Opus 111. This work was incredibly important to Nilda, and she only taught it to one student (the one writing).
It is such a significant piece that I studied it for 22 years before performing it in public. I finally played it at my recital at Carnegie Hall in October 2022.
I wanted to express my gratitude to my teachers and to the legacy that continues, so I decided to record it and name the album Ereditá (heritage in Italian).
A lesser-known aspect of Scaramuzza is his work as a composer. He was not prolific, having written only five mazurkas for piano and a song for soprano and piano. I wanted to honor my teacher’s master, so I included the mazurkas in the album.
To thank another great presence in my musical development, I included the Bach-Liszt Prelude and Fugue that I studied with my New York teacher Ana Maria Trenchi Bottazzi, who recently passed away.
When I contacted Christian Paladino to consult him and see if I could record with him, he told me that Sonata Op. 111 was his all-time favorite piece. That was a sign that the album was beginning to follow the right path.
Ereditá is the result of eternal gratitude to those who guided me and a recognition of a musical and pedagogical legacy that I hope will continue.”
About Marcelo Lian
Argentine pianist Dr. Marcelo Lian has been awarded in several piano competitions and has received scholarships in his native country and the United States.
His solo recitals include performances at the Teatro Colón during the Martha Argerich Festival in 2002, a recital in California playing Vladimir Horowitz’s legendary piano, and his debut at Carnegie Weill Hall in 1998, supported and encouraged by his mentor, Dr. Ana María Trenchi Bottazzi.
In 2013, Dr. Lian earned his Doctorate in Piano Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln under the guidance of Dr. Paul Barnes. He has served as Artist-in-Residence at Linfield College (Oregon) and Visiting Artist at Kansas State University, McPherson College (Kansas), Nyack College (New York), New England Conservatory (Massachusetts), Southwest Baptist University (Missouri), and Wayland Baptist University (Texas), among others. During the summers, Dr. Lian teaches at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp.
He founded Pianistas de las Américas, a new festival in Portland, Oregon. He also published an article on Compañero de Clavier, a topic related to teaching strategies, which is one of his passions.
Invited by the National University of the Litoral in Argentina and the National Conservatory of Puerto Rico, Dr. Lian recently offered solo recitals and gave master classes at these musical institutions.
