La Otra Historia (The Other History) is a piece I composed based on events, facts, and anecdotes I discovered while learning about the history of Baja California — that “isolated and vibrant land where nature can be preserved as in a great national park.”
The first movement recounts the episode in which Hernán Cortés, believing that Baja California was “an island, entirely populated by women... very rich in pearls and gold,” decided in 1532 to send Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, commanding two ships, to explore the region.
In the second movement, I portray the countless cases of oppression, abuse, and injustice suffered by the most underprivileged classes in this territory, from the arrival of the Spanish to the present day.
To contrast with the previous movement, I composed a piece with an intense character, depicting the glorious era when Tijuana — due to its border location and natural attractions — experienced the most splendid period in its history, during the 1920s.
La Otra Historia was commissioned by guitarist Roberto Limón and dedicated to him and his daughter, pianist Amanda Limón.
