3957  Transcendence of rhythm

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 2005 20:00:40 -0700
From: Bruno Romero <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET>
Subject: Re: Transcendence of rhythm

Hi Steve,



The key to find the rhythmical similarities between the Milonga and
Charleston is the Habanera. I do not have Nestor Otriz's extensive
collection of music. He passed away about 9 years ago. His wife donated his
collection to an Institute in Buenos Aires. The links Nestor Oderigo talks
about between the Milonga, Charleston, etc. are partly based on the
recordings left behind by the payadores Higinio Cazon and Gabino Ezeyza
accompanied in piano by Manuel O. Campoamor (El Negro). The Milongas then
were played at a different rhythm than the Milongas played nowadays. The
recordings which are left behind are in the hands of private collectors, and
are expensive to obtain.



Nestor Oderigo's main musical interests appeared to be in jazz, and he wrote
extensively on the Africanized elements (Africanismos) in Tango music and
some on the choreography of tango.



On Charleston, Nestor said that the black slaves from Senegal introduced the
tangana rhythm a.k.a. African Tango, or Habanera in Cuba and in other
Caribbean islands in the 18th century. The early Tango happens to be the
Charleston's twin brother. The difference between the Habanera and
Charleston resides in that the two eight-note (corcheas) of the habanera are
replaced by a pause of half notes (whites), and the Charleston's rhythm is
faster than the Habanera's. The Charleston music and choreography was
registered In Senegal by anthropologists such as Melville J. Herskovitz and
Katherine Dunham.



What is rhythmically similar among the early Tango, Charleston, Milonga,
Danzon Afrocubano, and the Habanera? The repetitive musical phrases of 8
measures each, the strong pulse, and their binary measure in 2/4 time among
other elements of typical of African music.



Some recordings which may shine light on this subject:



Charleston: Francisco Canaro: Yes, Yes

Habanera (Organ): Arche, La Brasilera (1880)

Milonga: Robero Firpo, Milonga Orillera (piano part)

Tango: Manuel O. Campoamor, la Franela (1909)



Best regards,



Bruno







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From: steve pastor [mailto:tang0man2005@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 9:18 AM
To: Bruno Romero
Subject: Re: [TANGO-L] Transcendence of rhythm



I still (after several days) cannot figure out how Charleston and Milonga
have "striking rhythmical similarities". They seem pretty dissimilar to me.
Can someone enlighten me?

Steve
Bruno Romero <romerob@TELUSPLANET.NET> wrote:

*Rhythm is the element that survives in the memory of musicians who play by
ear or are unable to read music. Just as the art of musical sound can
survive without poetry rhythm can survive without any other musical system
at least in black music. This is more apparent in the striking rhythmical
similarities of the Habanera, Charleston, Milonga, Danzon Afrocubano, and
early Tango.



* Nestor Ortiz Oderigo on "Latitudes Africanas del Tango" published in the
newspaper la Opinion Cultural, December 28, 1980 Buenos Aires.



Best regards,



Bruno



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