1455  Classical Tango

Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 12:18:45 -0400
From: Sergio <cachafaz@ADELPHIA.NET>
Subject: Classical Tango

A friend sent me the following note:

"In all art fields, all, a creative process takes over generally beyond it
borders of origin. You know, tango only began in Argentina in tiny place
and danced only by a very small minority. It developed beyond its borders
and its reawakening also occurred beyond its borders."

Others said:
They are not improving tango or having

> fun with it. They are avoiding it.

one must be humble and accept one's own ignorance and open up to learning

> another culture including it's limitations instead of deciding what needs

to

> be corrected.

We agree that people from all over the world express their personality in
their popular art which is an expression of a way of life.

There are multiple manifestations of this fact.
The Italians certainly have more artistic manifestations than any other
nation on earth. The opera is an expression of their personality.
The Germans expressed their way of feeling and living, in their rich music
and also in the Viennese Waltz (to give a couple of examples).
The Mediterranean people of Europe live and act in a particular way which is
the expression of their personality. They drink wine, they like to seat in
outdoor cafes, they enjoy having interesting conversations it does not
matter the subject, they have a specific cuisine, olive oil, they sing and
love in their own particular way. They like to smell, the aroma of fresh
bread and food coming out of bakeries and homes as they walk outside, they
like to walk the streets and meet friends in the process. All this is an
expression of their personality which comes out in the way they sing, dance
or paint.

Rumba, mambo, bolero, merengue, salsa, cumbia samba come from tropical areas
of America (the American Continent) :)).
As we dance them, we feel the warm air caressing the palm trees, the smell
of spicy food, the sweat humidity of the tropics, the refreshing cooling of
the daily rain.

Jazz, blues, rock&roll, swing, hustle, country-western comes from North
America. When we dance to that music we feel the energy of its cities,
the big cars moving through long bridges, the uprooting of people in
permanent motion, the melody and love life of its cowboys, the melancholy of
its blacks, the foaming cool beer.

So we listen to Opera, German music, taste olive oil, drink wine, beer,
dance salsa, country-western, etc. *When we do that we try to understand the
culture that originated them. Once we achieve that we enjoy and feel our
life with intense power and emotion.

There are people whose heart is closed to anything that is not familiar to
them. They try to adjust the rest of the world to their limited reality.
They attempt to impose their way of living and feeling to the rest of
humanity. They will demand that the Arabs live in democracy, that the
Moslems women uncover their heads, that the streets of Spain be devoid of
food aroma, will sing "La Traviata" to rock&roll, transform the natural hip
undulation of the Rumba into a robotic exercise of 'Latin Motion', place
Aida in Germany, Sigfrid and the Walkirias in Italy, have their picture
taken with the Venus of Milo and live happy ever after.

Those people already worked on Argentine Tango during the first coming. They
created the American and the International Styles.
They are in action once again during this second coming, we shall see what
product their infinite creative process will bear.

In summary: I agree art is a process, something that changes continuously to
express the personality of the people, each people, all people.

Tango is no exception, but there are certain things that are so special, so
unique, so good that deserve to be preserved through times unchanged.
This is what we call "classic" something having lasting significance or
worth. I believe in that sense that Tango is classic.

My intention is to criticize no one as each person or nation has the right
to his own cultural expression.

Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 13:30:46 -0700
From: Jonathan Thornton <jnt@NOYAU.COM>
Subject: Classical Tango

"Frank G. Williams" <frankw@MAIL.AHC.UMN.EDU> wrote:

>It is wonderful that young people in BA are returning to the milongas and
>it is quite appropriate that they, too, define for themselves what is and
>is not tango. I expect, as they live their lives and over the years
>learn who they are, that the essence of their tango will become THE SAME
>as the essential tango felt by the milongueros of the past. Really, how
>could it not?

Frank,
A very thoughtful and thought provoking post. I'm still pondering
it. Decades before I even knew of Argentine tango I read and loved the
short stories of Jorges Luis Borges. I am thinking of his short story
about Pierre Menard who attempts to rewrite Don Quixotes word for word as
Cervantes wrote it. Are you familiar with that story? I'm excerpting a bit
from a review found online at Amazon.com:

Borges's Pierre
Menard, for instance, undertakes the most audacious project
imaginable: to create not a contemporary version of Cervantes's most
famous work but the Quixote itself, word for word. This second text is
"verbally identical" to the original, yet, because of its new
associations, "infinitely richer"; every time we read, he suggests, we
are in effect creating an entirely new text, simply by viewing it
through the distorting lens of history. "A book is not an isolated
being: it is a relationship, an axis of innumerable relationships,"

--Mary Park --This text refers to the Paperback edition.


I am a bit frustrated by what I see as an emphasis on space in yours, and
Sergio's views. If one takes a snapshot of the world at a given moment
there it is the classic tango, and there are all the seas with their
uniqueness.

But we exist in time, and time is tragedy. I forget now who makes that
point. Time is tragedy because it brings change and loss of those we
love, and ultimately the loss of our life.

The water in the seas are cycling, the seas themselves are changing. The
classic tango, classical Greece are some of many lovely flowerings. Yes,
preserve the classics for as long as we can, but note the culture of
contemporary Italy is not identical with the Roman Empire, or the city
state period that flowered into the Renaissance.

I certainly favor preserving the classic tango but do not believe that
it's possible to effectively isolate the dance so that it does not
influence other dances. Cultures in contact influence one another, and
change and develop in response to those influences. These dialectical
tensions between liberal/conservative, preservation/innovation, or
lumper/splitter can lead to enlightening dialogue or to pointless impasse.
I hope all parties to this conversation will maintain an interest in
understanding differing view points as well as expressing their views.

The aspect of Argentine tango that is most important to me is the emphasis
on feeling in the dance. There is much I find important and valuable in
the Argentine approach to social dance. I don't intend my views to suggest
that tango should be improved. But unlike you, I really doubt my ability
and to be honest lack the desire to transform myself into a milonguero.
Some have suggested that I am a hopeless philistine. Be that as I may,
what I do seek in my respect for this dance is a deeper understanding and
expression of what kinds of non verbal dance communication is possible
between partners. I'm looking to the inner principles. I do not come here
to bury tango, change it, nor to become a milonguero, but rather I come to
deepen my understanding of it, and through what I learn of it to deepen my
understanding of dancing with feeling to music. I understand that for some
the classic tango is sufficient. And I would like to better understand
their feelings and approach to dance even though I don't share their
contentment and fulfillment with classic tango.

BTW I don't call what I do to music "tango". In line with my lumper
tendencies I call it "dancing". And sometimes I dance to the best of my
rudimentary ability a very simple sort of social tango to classical tango
music with as much feeling as I have for the particular song playing at
that time. I concur with those who wish a strict use of the word "tango",
but I will not eliminate approaches to dance I learned in tango when I
dance to other music.

peace,
Jonathan Thornton


the great globe itself, yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve; and,
like this insubstantial pageant faded, leave not a rack behind. We are
such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a
sleep. -- Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act IV

Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 21:18:21 -0700
From: "Konstantin Zahariev" <anfractuoso@gmail.com>
Subject: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>
<ade549600710012118o32c659bfpda3d6b17216eadb@mail.gmail.com>

Hi all,

This is an attempt to provide some starting points for exploration of
contemporary classical tango orchestras, interpretations, recordings,
and compositions.

A.
I will try to focus on what is for dancing, not just for listening,
but in any case it should be confined to classical tango (as
previously defined).


B.
Size does matter, in my opinion. Krasimir says he does not care if a
band is a cuarteto or sexteto or a trio or larger size, as long as it
is a danceable tune. I would like to suggest that Orquesta Tipica (OT)
configurations do make a significant difference in (a) sound quality
and complexity and (b) danceability. These two are related, so it does
matter, for dancers, what the size of the band is. Why?

Smaller configurations just cannot provide the sheer wall of sound of
4-5 bandoneons or violins, or the density and complexity of the
musical texture that OTs produce. Consequently, it is easier to get
tired of the sound of a trio or a duo or a cuarteto (there are some
exceptions) and it does sound sparse in most cases. I also find that
it is much harder for smaller bands to offer the kind or rhythmic
consistency that experienced argentine OTs can.


C.
In exploring what is available, I think one would find growing amounts
of danceable music in the following general categories:

1. New interpretations or recordings of well-known compositions

2. New interpretations of existing but not well-known compositions

3. New compositions in new or historical orchestra styles or streams(*)

4. Re-creating historical orchestra styles

5. All of the above applied to Milongas and Valses

(*) a "stream" here means a style of orchestral interpretation that
has a lot of common ground with a historical style, but also a number
of different elements.

In what is below I am only addressing a subset of what fits into these
categories.


D.
Here is a list of tango orchestras playing in historical or own
styles/streams. Most are active and formed within the last ten years,
most are full OTs; some are defunct or older formations (but past
1970s), and some are sextetos/septetos or cuartetos (noted below).

Of course we are waiting for musicians to branch more, away from the
usual Pugliese/Piazzolla - D'Arienzo major-minor dichotomy of streams.
It is already happening - with the M. Calo and Di Sarli streams, and
the Orquesta Escuela de Tango phenomenon. Patience!


Miguel Calo style:
Sans Souci
Don't know about original copositions, but their Calo is almost
perfect, as faithful to the original style as possible without
completely losing separate identity.

Carlos Di Sarli style/stream:
Fervor de Buenos Aires, Gente de Tango. I know more about Fervor de
BA. The pianist/leader Javier Arias does a great Di Sarli stream
orchestration, and has a growing list of original compositions in the
same stream.

Juan D'Arienzo style/stream:
Los Reyes del Tango, Orquesta Juan D'Arienzo, Los Solistas De
D'Arienzo (cuarteto?). Los Solistas, even though only
cuarteto/quinteto (I think), plays so well it is almost hard to
believe it is not a full OT. OJDA focuses a bit too much on rhythm and
late D'Arienzo; Los Reyes is imaginative but their lead violin bothers
me as it seems too inferior to the magic of someone like Puglisi's.


Other Orquesta Tipicas:

Orquesta Escuela de Tango:
Many historical styles - this is a tango orchestra school (!) -
probably the most exciting and significant development in the last ten
years. Look up Ignacio Varchausky, who along with friends seems to
have been the engine behind organizing this and literally saving the
tango orchestra expertise from extinction! Notice the names of Ramiro
Gallo (violin soloist/teacher; has a quinteto Ramiro Gallo, also plays
in El Arranque), Andr?s Linetzky (piano and teacher, plays in Vale
Tango), Ignacio Varchausky (plays contrabajo in El Arranque)
Historical tango styles:
recorded(?): Di Sarli, Troilo, D'Arienzo, Pugliese, Gobbi
taught: Troilo, Pugliese, Salg?n, Piazzolla, Di Sarli, Federico,
D?Arienzo, Fresedo, Gobbi, De Caro


Fernandez Fierro (late Pugliese, Piazzolla streams but mostly steady rhythm)

Imperial (Pugliese, mostly steady rhythm)

La Furca (Pugliese-like stream)

Rodolfo Mederos OT (Troilo, Pugliese streams)

Cerda Negra (Troilo, Pugliese streams)

El Afronte (mixed; Pugliese)


Other smaller configurations (quinteto, sexteto, septeto), of
potential interest to dancers:

La Excelsior (Pugliese/Piazzolla?)

Color Tango (Pugliese)

El Arranque (various)

Vale Tango (various, Pugliese, does a bunch of milongas and valses)


E.
Here is an incomplete list of new original classical tango
compositions. Most of these are danceable:


Fervor de BA (Di Sarli stream)
Javier Arias (leader of)
Quien Sos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQL96Wa6aMs
E.G.B.
Despojo (con Bonfiglia)
Pibita (con Mauricio)


Rodolfo Mederos OT: (Troilo/Pugliese stream?)
Rodolfo Mederos:
Abran Cancha (milonga)
La Alegria De Encontrarte
En Otro Lugar De Mi
Contraluz
Ropa Vieja


Fernandez Fierro (late Pugliese stream):
Yuri Ventur?n (Contrabajo y direcci?n)
Sin dudas y con firmeza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQJAMfgeZTM
011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McetUSo72Tc

Julio Coviello (bandoneon)
Lengua seca

Juli?n Peralta (piano, but not in band anymore)
Waldo
Punto y Branca
Pr?logo
Mal Arreado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7-OdhwySdQ
Final


Imperial (Pugliese stream):
Gerardo Martinez Argibay:
A Salvador Aliende
El Equilibrista (vals)
Pablo Bernaba
Maradoneando (milonga)

Matilde Vitullo:
Feos, Sucios y Malos
El loco Milonga (tango)

Karina Martinelli:
Fac?n grande
Tango villero

Hern?n Bartolozzi (Bandone?n, with Imperial; also with Color Tango)
Cadenero
La Maquina Tanguera
Mina
America Antes De La Memoria


Cerda Negra (mostly teenagers!)
Agustin Guerrero (leader of)
El Flaco
La Bronca del Pueblo


El Afronte: (mixed; Pugliese)
Gabriel Atum:
Pueblada
Maldita


Vale Tango (has Ariel Espandrio on violin, do a lot of milongas and valses)
Andres Linetzky:
Vals De La Rosa (vals)
Rey De Copas
Los Ojos


If you want to explore these, or want to get your hands on the
recordings, please buy their CDs. These are mostly young people that
have contributed to saving from
extinction, preserving, and restarting the classical tango stream, and
they deserve all the support we can give them.

One place that has most/all of this material above is
www.tangostore.com (I have no affiliation or interest in their
business or prosperity). They would ship to most regions of the world,
as far as I know, and there are 45-second previews on the songs on
most of the CDs.

I hope this helps a bit. Please do not shoot me down for omitting
something or misplacing or mis-classifying something. It took a long
time to compile and write this, and I offer it as is.

With best regards,

Konstantin
Victoria, Canada

Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 21:44:15 -0700
From: "Konstantin Zahariev" <anfractuoso@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>
<ade549600710012144g441e01balbd68ea352e471c77@mail.gmail.com>

A clarification and a correction:

I forgot to say to ignore the Piazzolla-like stuff listed below when
looking for something for dancing, and especially the 3-3-2 musical
forms (based on the rural milonga, not the post-1930 city milonga form
- just noticed some of the linked video is like that). Piazzolla
dancers, on the other hand, please forgive this clarification -
preferences vary.

Also, I probably should have said "A _lot_ of these are danceable",
instead of "_most_".

BTW, the 3-3-2 form is also one of the ones Krasimir showed as an
undanceable example. It is not easy to dance classical tango to it on
the most basic level - uneven rhythmic divisions. It is not even good
for a Bulgarian rachenitsa dance (which is typically in 3-2-2 instead)
:-)

Lastly, I am probably being inclusive with having Piazzolla streams
within what I term classical tango (i.e. all that is not labelled
fusion, alternative, neotango, non-tango) since one can argue his
stuff could be labelled tango-classical or tango-jazz fusion. But I
don't want to get into arguments about that at the moment as it is not
important relative to the bulk of the material presented.

With best regards,

Konstantin
Victoria, Canada


On 10/1/07, Konstantin Zahariev <anfractuoso@gmail.com> wrote:
[...]

> E.
> Here is an incomplete list of new original classical tango
> compositions. Most of these are danceable:
>
>
> Fervor de BA (Di Sarli stream)
> Javier Arias (leader of)
> Quien Sos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQL96Wa6aMs
> E.G.B.
> Despojo (con Bonfiglia)
> Pibita (con Mauricio)
>
>
> Rodolfo Mederos OT: (Troilo/Pugliese stream?)
> Rodolfo Mederos:
> Abran Cancha (milonga)
> La Alegria De Encontrarte
> En Otro Lugar De Mi
> Contraluz
> Ropa Vieja
>
>
> Fernandez Fierro (late Pugliese stream):
> Yuri Ventur?n (Contrabajo y direcci?n)
> Sin dudas y con firmeza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQJAMfgeZTM
> 011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McetUSo72Tc
>
> Julio Coviello (bandoneon)
> Lengua seca
>
> Juli?n Peralta (piano, but not in band anymore)
> Waldo
> Punto y Branca
> Pr?logo
> Mal Arreado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7-OdhwySdQ
> Final
>
>
> Imperial (Pugliese stream):
> Gerardo Martinez Argibay:
> A Salvador Aliende
> El Equilibrista (vals)
> Pablo Bernaba
> Maradoneando (milonga)
>
> Matilde Vitullo:
> Feos, Sucios y Malos
> El loco Milonga (tango)
>
> Karina Martinelli:
> Fac?n grande
> Tango villero
>
> Hern?n Bartolozzi (Bandone?n, with Imperial; also with Color Tango)
> Cadenero
> La Maquina Tanguera
> Mina
> America Antes De La Memoria
>
>
> Cerda Negra (mostly teenagers!)
> Agustin Guerrero (leader of)
> El Flaco
> La Bronca del Pueblo
>
>
> El Afronte: (mixed; Pugliese)
> Gabriel Atum:
> Pueblada
> Maldita
>
>
> Vale Tango (has Ariel Espandrio on violin, do a lot of milongas and valses)
> Andres Linetzky:
> Vals De La Rosa (vals)
> Rey De Copas
> Los Ojos
>
>
> If you want to explore these, or want to get your hands on the
> recordings, please buy their CDs. These are mostly young people that
> have contributed to saving from
> extinction, preserving, and restarting the classical tango stream, and
> they deserve all the support we can give them.
>
> One place that has most/all of this material above is
> www.tangostore.com (I have no affiliation or interest in their
> business or prosperity). They would ship to most regions of the world,
> as far as I know, and there are 45-second previews on the songs on
> most of the CDs.
>
> I hope this helps a bit. Please do not shoot me down for omitting
> something or misplacing or mis-classifying something. It took a long
> time to compile and write this, and I offer it as is.
>
> With best regards,
>
> Konstantin
> Victoria, Canada
>

Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0400
From: WHITE 95 R <white95r@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>















Hi Konstantin,

You've
done a good job of listing so many good contemporary tango orchestras.
Thanks for your good work, I'm going to use your list to do more
research of good, danceable tango music of higher sound quality.
However, I will say that too many of these orchestras are emulating the
later Pugliese orchestra or perform Piazzolla style compositions.
Generally, the contemporary tango orchestras tend to play in the late
50's or later styles of tango which came after the tango dance fell

>from it's apogee.

I do not mean to say that Pugliese is not
danceable, or that all the late 50's and later music is unsuitable for
dancing. But in reality, I rarely if ever have heard tango played in
the style of the '30s, '40s or early '50s. That's entirely too bad
because that's exactly the absolutely best tango music for dancing in a
rhythmic, compact manner. For me the music from the Pugliese orchestra
and others like it is like a dessert. I would not go to a restaurant
and order an 8 course meal consisting of Tiramisu, chocolate mousse,
keylime pie, peach melba, apple pie, blueberry cobbler, napoleons and
cookies..... That's exactly the feeling I get when a DJ plays nothing
but music like that...

I've actually sat (not danced, mind
you) through hours of Pugliese, Piazzolla, late Darienzo, late
D'Agostino, late Troilo, Basso, Sexteto Mayor and the like with
occasional looong tandas of Gotan, Bajofondo, Tangophobia, Tangheto,
Libedinsky or other forms of neo-tango-like music...... Again, I don't
mean to sound like some hide bound tango taleban, but in reality I
prefer the more authentic stuff of the 30's, 40's and 50's. There is
nothing intrinsically wrong with the other stuff. There is no question
of the artistic ability of the musicians and the sound quality is much better than the old stuff. Actually, I do from time to
time enjoy dancing tango-like to some non tango music, but I do wish
that more orchestras played arrangements more like the old orchestras I
like so much.

Cheers,

Manuel

www.tango-rio.com

visit our webpage
www.tango-rio.com

> Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 21:18:21 -0700
> From: anfractuoso@gmail.com
> To: tango-l@mit.edu
> Subject: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras, interpretations, recordings, compositions
>
> Hi all,
>
> This is an attempt to provide some starting points for exploration of
> contemporary classical tango orchestras, interpretations, recordings,
> and compositions.
>
> A.
> I will try to focus on what is for dancing, not just for listening,
> but in any case it should be confined to classical tango (as
> previously defined).
>
> snip....

Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 10:44:38 -0700
From: "Konstantin Zahariev" <anfractuoso@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: "WHITE 95 R" <white95r@hotmail.com>
Cc: cat purdom <cpurdom@agnesscott.edu>, Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>
<ade549600710021044w2b582110ndf62bbba5e9d8982@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Manuel,

I understand and appreciate your sentiment - you will notice I
acknowledged in my posting the still-prevalent Pugliese/Piazzolla
major trend. I do see things finally beginning to move and branch out
more. So get Sans Souci and Fervor de Buenos Aires for a Calo stream
and Di Sarli stream highly danceable tango, or your preference of the
several OTs in the D'Arienzo stream instead. And Orquesta Escuela de
Tango (OET), for a potpourri(*) of styles (if tangostore ever gets the
sampling of their first CD right - I think it is completely
mislabelled).

Orquesta Escuela de Tango is having a growing influence, I think, and
the students that go through it would hopefully branch out and start
orchestras that would introduce more variety.

It isn't even the case that a start-up band has to get "locked-in"
into a particular style, or existing bands have to persist in only one
style. It is entirely possible, as expertise increases, to introduce
new styles in one's orchestra. In fact I hope that, just as musicians
wanted to emulate (late) Pugliese/Piazzolla for the challenge and
possibilities, they would begin to see learning to play in different
styles as a new, equally difficult challenge.

I also hope valses and milongas would finally get their due.

What about a Donato (1930s to early 1940s) stream? Man, that would be SWEET!

How about some band, out there, try to learn and record a killer
faithful version of "Ella Es Asi" milonga? Or a faithful Di Sarli
stream interpretation of "La Mulateada" milonga? What about a faithful
D'Arienzo stream interpretation of "La Cicatriz" milonga?

What about an Orquesta Tipica Victora version of "El Chamuyo" tango,
or D"Arienzo stream "Pensalo Bien"? Eh, maybe too hard to find another
Echague for the latter, though..

What about Biagi-stream valses? Possibilities are endless... and
musically the challenges seem very exciting and satisfyingly hard.

With best regards,

Konstantin
Victoria, Canada

(*) I actually do not have OET CDs yet and what I heard has not
completely knocked me over for the non-Pugliese stuff, but given their
focused expertise and years of gathering the historical style
information down to minutest detail for each instrument, I suspect
this is more an artifact of the mp3 and the fact that I cannot listen
to the complete songs for a full impression. Their two CDs are in my
wishlist and just waiting to gather more CD to order again.




On 10/2/07, WHITE 95 R <white95r@hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi Konstantin,
>
> You've done a good job of listing so many good contemporary tango
> orchestras. Thanks for your good work, I'm going to use your list to do more
> research of good, danceable tango music of higher sound quality. However, I
> will say that too many of these orchestras are emulating the later Pugliese
> orchestra or perform Piazzolla style compositions. Generally, the
> contemporary tango orchestras tend to play in the late 50's or later styles
> of tango which came after the tango dance fell from it's apogee.
>
> I do not mean to say that Pugliese is not danceable, or that all the late
> 50's and later music is unsuitable for dancing. But in reality, I rarely if
> ever have heard tango played in the style of the '30s, '40s or early '50s.
> That's entirely too bad because that's exactly the absolutely best tango
> music for dancing in a rhythmic, compact manner. For me the music from the
> Pugliese orchestra and others like it is like a dessert. I would not go to a
> restaurant and order an 8 course meal consisting of Tiramisu, chocolate
> mousse, keylime pie, peach melba, apple pie, blueberry cobbler, napoleons
> and cookies..... That's exactly the feeling I get when a DJ plays nothing
> but music like that...
>
> I've actually sat (not danced, mind you) through hours of Pugliese,
> Piazzolla, late Darienzo, late D'Agostino, late Troilo, Basso, Sexteto Mayor
> and the like with occasional loong tandas of Gotan, Bajofondo, Tangophobia,
> Tangheto, Libedinsky or other forms of neo-tango-like music...... Again, I
> don't mean to sound like some hide bound tango taleban, but in reality I
> prefer the more authentic stuff of the 30's, 40's and 50's. There is nothing
> intrinsically wrong with the other stuff. There is no question of the
> artistic ability of the musicians. Actually, I do from time to time enjoy
> dancing tango-like to some non tango music, but I do wish that more
> orchestras played arrangements more like the old orchestras I like so much.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Manuel
>
> www.tango-rio.com
>
> > Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 21:18:21 -0700
> > From: anfractuoso@gmail.com
> > To: tango-l@mit.edu
> > Subject: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
> interpretations, recordings, compositions
>
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > This is an attempt to provide some starting points for exploration of
> > contemporary classical tango orchestras, interpretations, recordings,
> > and compositions.
> >
> > A.
> > I will try to focus on what is for dancing, not just for listening,
> > but in any case it should be confined to classical tango (as
> > previously defined).
> >
> >
> > B.
> > Size does matter, in my opinion. Krasimir says he does not care if a
> > band is a cuarteto or sexteto or a trio or larger size, as long as it
> > is a danceable tune. I would like to suggest that Orquesta Tipica (OT)
> > configurations do make a significant difference in (a) sound quality
> > and complexity and (b) danceability. These two are related, so it does
> > matter, for dancers, what the size of the band is. Why?
> >
> > Smaller configurations just cannot provide the sheer wall of sound of
> > 4-5 bandoneons or violins, or the density and complexity of the
> > musical texture that OTs produce. Consequently, it is easier to get
> > tired of the sound of a trio or a duo or a cuarteto (there are some
> > exceptions) and it does sound sparse in most cases. I also find that
> > it is much harder for smaller bands to offer the kind or rhythmic
> > consistency that experienced argentine OTs can.
> >
> >
> > C.
> > In exploring what is available, I think one would find growing amounts
> > of danceable music in the following general categories:
> >
> > 1. New interpretations or recordings of well-known compositions
> >
> > 2. New interpretations of existing but not well-known compositions
> >
> > 3. New compositions in new or historical orchestra styles or streams(*)
> >
> > 4. Re-creating historical orchestra styles
> >
> > 5. All of the above applied to Milongas and Valses
> >
> > (*) a "stream" here means a style of orchestral interpretation that
> > has a lot of common ground with a historical style, but also a number
> > of different elements.
> >
> > In what is below I am only addressing a subset of what fits into these
> > categories.
> >
> >
> > D.
> > Here is a list of tango orchestras playing in historical or own
> > styles/streams. Most are active and formed within the last ten years,
> > most are full OTs; some are defunct or older formations (but past
> > 1970s), and some are sextetos/septetos or cuartetos (noted below).
> >
> > Of course we are waiting for musicians to branch more, away from the
> > usual Pugliese/Piazzolla - D'Arienzo major-minor dichotomy of streams.
> > It is already happening - with the M. Calo and Di Sarli streams, and
> > the Orquesta Escuela de Tango phenomenon. Patience!
> >
> >
> > Miguel Calo style:
> > Sans Souci
> > Don't know about original copositions, but their Calo is almost
> > perfect, as faithful to the original style as possible without
> > completely losing separate identity.
> >
> > Carlos Di Sarli style/stream:
> > Fervor de Buenos Aires, Gente de Tango. I know more about Fervor de
> > BA. The pianist/leader Javier Arias does a great Di Sarli stream
> > orchestration, and has a growing list of original compositions in the
> > same stream.
> >
> > Juan D'Arienzo style/stream:
> > Los Reyes del Tango, Orquesta Juan D'Arienzo, Los Solistas De
> > D'Arienzo (cuarteto?). Los Solistas, even though only
> > cuarteto/quinteto (I think), plays so well it is almost hard to
> > believe it is not a full OT. OJDA focuses a bit too much on rhythm and
> > late D'Arienzo; Los Reyes is imaginative but their lead violin bothers
> > me as it seems too inferior to the magic of someone like Puglisi's.
> >
> >
> > Other Orquesta Tipicas:
> >
> > Orquesta Escuela de Tango:
> > Many historical styles - this is a tango orchestra school (!) -
> > probably the most exciting and significant development in the last ten
> > years. Look up Ignacio Varchausky, who along with friends seems to
> > have been the engine behind organizing this and literally saving the
> > tango orchestra expertise from extinction! Notice the names of Ramiro
> > Gallo (violin soloist/teacher; has a quinteto Ramiro Gallo, also plays
> > in El Arranque), Andr?s Linetzky (piano and teacher, plays in Vale
> > Tango), Ignacio Varchausky (plays contrabajo in El Arranque)
> > Historical tango styles:
> > recorded(?): Di Sarli, Troilo, D'Arienzo, Pugliese, Gobbi
> > taught: Troilo, Pugliese, Salg?n, Piazzolla, Di Sarli, Federico,
> > D?Arienzo, Fresedo, Gobbi, De Caro
> >
> >
> > Fernandez Fierro (late Pugliese, Piazzolla streams but mostly steady
> rhythm)
> >
> > Imperial (Pugliese, mostly steady rhythm)
> >
> > La Furca (Pugliese-like stream)
> >
> > Rodolfo Mederos OT (Troilo, Pugliese streams)
> >
> > Cerda Negra (Troilo, Pugliese streams)
> >
> > El Afronte (mixed; Pugliese)
> >
> >
> > Other smaller configurations (quinteto, sexteto, septeto), of
> > potential interest to dancers:
> >
> > La Excelsior (Pugliese/Piazzolla?)
> >
> > Color Tango (Pugliese)
> >
> > El Arranque (various)
> >
> > Vale Tango (various, Pugliese, does a bunch of milongas and valses)
> >
> >
> > E.
> > Here is an incomplete list of new original classical tango
> > compositions. Most of these are danceable:
> >
> >
> > Fervor de BA (Di Sarli stream)
> > Javier Arias (leader of)
> > Quien Sos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQL96Wa6aMs
> > E.G.B.
> > Despojo (con Bonfiglia)
> > Pibita (con Mauricio)
> >
> >
> > Rodolfo Mederos OT: (Troilo/Pugliese stream?)
> > Rodolfo Mederos:
> > Abran Cancha (milonga)
> > La Alegria De Encontrarte
> > En Otro Lugar De Mi
> > Contraluz
> > Ropa Vieja
> >
> >
> > Fernandez Fierro (late Pugliese stream):
> > Yuri Ventur?n (Contrabajo y direcci?n)
> > Sin dudas y con firmeza:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQJAMfgeZTM
> > 011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McetUSo72Tc
> >
> > Julio Coviello (bandoneon)
> > Lengua seca
> >
> > Juli?n Peralta (piano, but not in band anymore)
> > Waldo
> > Punto y Branca
> > Pr?logo
> > Mal Arreado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7-OdhwySdQ
> > Final
> >
> >
> > Imperial (Pugliese stream):
> > Gerardo Martinez Argibay:
> > A Salvador Aliende
> > El Equilibrista (vals)
> > Pablo Bernaba
> > Maradoneando (milonga)
> >
> > Matilde Vitullo:
> > Feos, Sucios y Malos
> > El loco Milonga (tango)
> >
> > Karina Martinelli:
> > Fac?n grande
> > Tango villero
> >
> > Hern?n Bartolozzi (Bandone?n, with Imperial; also with Color Tango)
> > Cadenero
> > La Maquina Tanguera
> > Mina
> > America Antes De La Memoria
> >
> >
> > Cerda Negra (mostly teenagers!)
> > Agustin Guerrero (leader of)
> > El Flaco
> > La Bronca del Pueblo
> >
> >
> > El Afronte: (mixed; Pugliese)
> > Gabriel Atum:
> > Pueblada
> > Maldita
> >
> >
> > Vale Tango (has Ariel Espandrio on violin, do a lot of milongas and
> valses)
> > Andres Linetzky:
> > Vals De La Rosa (vals)
> > Rey De Copas
> > Los Ojos
> >
> >
> > If you want to explore these, or want to get your hands on the
> > recordings, please buy their CDs. These are mostly young people that
> > have contributed to saving from
> > extinction, preserving, and restarting the classical tango stream, and
> > they deserve all the support we can give them.
> >
> > One place that has most/all of this material above is
> > www.tangostore.com (I have no affiliation or interest in their
> > business or prosperity). They would ship to most regions of the world,
> > as far as I know, and there are 45-second previews on the songs on
> > most of the CDs.
> >
> > I hope this helps a bit. Please do not shoot me down for omitting
> > something or misplacing or mis-classifying something. It took a long
> > time to compile and write this, and I offer it as is.
> >
> > With best regards,
> >
> > Konstantin
> > Victoria, Canada

Date: Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:10:11 -0400
From: Ilene Marder <imhmedia@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: Konstantin Zahariev <anfractuoso@gmail.com>
Cc: cat purdom <cpurdom@agnesscott.edu>, WHITE 95 R
<white95r@hotmail.com>, Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>



Konstantin Zahariev wrote:

>What about an Orquesta Tipica Victora version of "El Chamuyo" tango,
>or D"Arienzo stream "Pensalo Bien"? Eh, maybe too hard to find another
>Echague for the latter, though..
>
>

he's not that similar to Echague but have you heard Javier
Dominquez...El Cardenal???
wow...he is incredible..of the modern tango singers, I think he is the
most like the greats of the golden era.
gorgeous natural voice and sentimiento... he records with his own "El
Cardenal Dominguez Cuarteto" and with
Los Cosos De Al Lao . Donlt know the labels...I heard him live in July
and was blown away...also plays guitar .

Ilene de Woodstock

>
>
>
>
>

Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 00:50:06 -0700
From: "Konstantin Zahariev" <anfractuoso@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Tango-L] Contemporary classical tango orchestras,
interpretations, recordings, compositions
To: Tango-L <tango-l@mit.edu>
<ade549600710030050o77f7c79bi34d290733287cb6a@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Ilene, all,

I just listened to Javier Dominquez (El Cardenal) on the previews. I
am very impressed.

Seems to have hints of Gardel, but also, curiously, when he strains
his voice a bit like on the "El Rebenque Fatal" milonga (no.2 on
El-Cardenal-Dominguez-Cuarteto CD), hints of Roberto Chanel come out,
no? And at other times and when without strain and in medium and upper
register, he seems to have that velvety airiness, easiness, of a Raul
Beron (though not the timbre).

Also, on the recordings he did not try to put his voice up-front,
crowding out everybody else, but instead just used it as another
instrument, in the great tradition. And no reverb. It is intimate and
pleasant to listen to. What a find! Thank you!

I think he might pull off a Pensalo Bien because he can pull off the
grittiness of Chanel and grittiness is a major area where Chanel and
Echague intersect. Definitely possible. Can we beg him to do it?

By the way, I missed a great danceable orquesta tipica - so it is
coming up tomorrow.

With best regards,

Konstantin
Victoria, Canada


On 10/2/07, Ilene Marder <imhmedia@yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
> Konstantin Zahariev wrote:
>
> >What about an Orquesta Tipica Victor version of "El Chamuyo" tango,
> >or D"Arienzo stream "Pensalo Bien"? Eh, maybe too hard to find another
> >Echague for the latter, though..
> >
> >
>
> he's not that similar to Echague but have you heard Javier
> Dominquez...El Cardenal???
> wow...he is incredible..of the modern tango singers, I think he is the
> most like the greats of the golden era.
> gorgeous natural voice and sentimiento... he records with his own "El
> Cardenal Dominguez Cuarteto" and with
> Los Cosos De Al Lao . Donlt know the labels...I heard him live in July
> and was blown away...also plays guitar .
>
> Ilene de Woodstock