1 October 2021, by Cosima Diaz Campos
In memory of the legendary tango singer Ikuo Abo (20 April 1937 - 1 September 2021).
Today I invite you to listen to the tango En Esta Tarde Gris (in this grey afternoon) played by Orquesta Típica Masaichi Sakamoto with singer Ikuo Abo, recorded in the 60's.
Ikuo Abo did not speak Spanish. He learnt all the lyrics of the tango phonetically.
His pronounciation is amazing, and his phrasing is impressive. Phrasing in tango singing is one of the most difficult aspects, and also one of the most important. The orchestra also plays impeccable, their timing and phrasing, their accents, the play with volume is wonderful.
Merceditas
12 Sep 2021 by Cosima Díaz Campos
Merceditas - Tango
Orquestra Símbolo Osmar Maderna
Direction: Aquiles Roggero (originally violinist)
Singers: Adolfo Rivas & Raúl Aldao
Composition & lyrics original chamamé: Rámon Sixto Rios
Arrangement for tango: presumably Osmar Maderna made the arrangement
Recorded in 1958.
Tangomusic & tangodance aficionados alike love the tango 'Merceditas'. The intro of this tango starts with the intense descending glissando by the violins, to continue with the peaceful and calming melody of this piece in e-minor. If the melody would be a landscape, I would see fields of granes waving in the wind.
After this intro the beat is picked up by the whole orchestra, with the sharp sounds of the bows of the violins on the string, to emphasize the rhythms. In this part, the violins continue with fast and accentuated...
Pugliese & Chopin
7 September 2021 by Cosima Diaz Campos ©
Osvaldo Pugliese loved Chopin's music. His wife Lydia Pugliese told us in an interview that he would practice Chopin's piano solo work daily. We asked her about Osvaldo's daily life routines. After breakfast he would go for a walk in the park with his wife every morning, and the rest of the morning he would play solo piano work from Chopin, before the rehearsals with his orchestras in the afternoon and the concerts in the evening. Pugliese gave concerts with his orchestra untill he was above 80 years old, a remarkable achievement.
Osvaldo Pugliese & Astor Piazzolla
6 September 2021 by Mariano Diaz Campos ©
Mariano is a certified journalist who writes about tango culture & history.
Musicians mentioned in this blog:
George Gershwin (1898 - 1937)
Julio de Caro (1899 – 1980)
Osvaldo Pugliese (1905 - 1995)
Anibal Troilo (1914 - 1975)
Astor Piazzolla (1921 -1992)
Luis Aravena
Finally Together
If you bring two of the biggest names in tango together, you are writing history. That is what Luis Aravena, musician, producer and theatreman, thought when he brought the two maestros of the Epoca de Oro of the tango to Amsterdam in 1989 to share the stage together in the Royal Theatre Carré. The only place and moment in history, where these two legends shared the stage. A unique event in the history of music & tango. The title of the concert was Finally Together.
When you...
Amurado
1 September 2021 by Cosima Diaz Campos
The tango Amurado is composed in 1927 by Pedro Maffia & Pedro Laurenz.
The lyrics are written by José De Grandis.
Below in this blog you can listen to different versions of this piece.
Both Pedro Maffia and Pedro Laurenz recorded this composition with their orchestras.
Carlos Gardel recorded the piece as well, completely sung, in 1927.
Julio Sosa (1962) and Roberto Goyeneche (1990) recorded this piece completely sung.
Julio De Caro made an instrumental arrangement of this musical gem.
Osvaldo Pugliese (Decariano), arranged it for his orchestra later, also instrumental.
The version that is played very often for tango dancers is the version by Pedro Laurenz and his orchestra. Pedro Laurenz was orchestra leader / composer / arranger, and he played in his orchestra as a bandoneonist. He...
Octeto de Buenos Aires
26 August 2021 by Cosima Diaz Campos
When I studied the year at Rotterdam Conservatory (tango violin) in 1996 my violin teacher gave me casette tapes with Troilo, Pugliese, Di Sarli, D'Arienzo and more great maestros from the Golden Era. Also a casette with Octeto de Buenos Aires. I loved the classics of the golden era immediately. But Octeto de Buenos Aires was not so easy for my ear, especially the electric guitar. I listened to all the cassettes a lot, every day, to really feel the music, and eventually I learnt to appreciate and love the music of Octeto de Buenos Aires. And of course especially the genius interpretations of violinist Enrique Francini (also wellknown for his own orchestra Francini-Pontier). The sweet and passionate sound of his violin is just incomparable. Always when I hear Octeto de Buenos Aires it brings me back to those days, and I...
Informal Tango Interview
16 July 2021 by Lucas Antonisse with Mariano Díaz Campos
