Month: June 2018

Ritmos de Folklórico

2018-06-21 - Folklorico in Bahia Blanca.jpg

Next episode is the first of a two-part special on the considerable legacy from Argentine tango orquestas of  music that is not tango. Canaro recorded more paso dobles and foxtrots each than he did milongas; Rogdriguez worked under the tagline of “La orquesta de todos los ritmos, ‘The orquesta of all the rhythms'” and featured jazz in his playlists; orquestas ranging from De Caro to Firpo to Lomuto, featured and recorded an array of folk rhythms including polca and ranchera, gato, and zamba; this is a selection of those traditional folk rhythms of Argentina as interpreted by some of the great tango musicians. That’s Tango Capital:

Image: Folklórico in Bahia Blanca, April 2012

PLAYLIST: 

  • Las Promesas En Amor, meaning ‘The Promises In Love’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 13 October 1939; a ranchera with music composed by Francisco Canaro, lyrics by Ivo Pelay, and sung by Francisco Amor.
  • Maté Cocido, meaning ‘Hot Maté’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 30 March 1939; a ranchera with music composed by Enrique N García, lyrics by Lito Bayardo, and sung by Francisco Amor. The name is a reference to yerba maté, the South America tea made from a holly bush that is steeped in a gourd and takes the place of hot coffee for many Argentinians.
  • ?Dónde Hay El Novio¿, meaning ‘Where Is The Boyfriend?’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 13 October 1939; a ranchera with music composed by Francisco Canaro, lyrics by Ivo Pelay, and sung by Ernesto Famá.
  • El Viejito Del Acordeón, meaning ‘The Little Old Man With The Accordion’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 12 May 1936; a polca with music and lyrics composed by José Domingo Aiello and Carmelo Aiello, and sung by Roberto Maida and Ángel Ramos.
  • La Refalosa; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 18 June 1935; a polca with music composed by Francisco Canaro, first recorded in 1928. The name is a reference to another traditional dance, the refalosa or resbalosa, this one based on the cueca and featuring a handkerchief; it was popular in Argentina in the first half of the 19th century and survived in the provinces.
  • Maté Amargo, meaning ‘Bitter Maté’; recorded by Rafael Rossi; a ranchera with music composed by Carlos F Bravo, first recorded in 1928, lyrics by Francisco Brancatti, and sung by Casadei brothers. The name is a reference to yerba maté, the South America tea made from a holly bush that was traditionally drunk without sugar or other flavourings.
  • Enamorado, meaning ‘In Love’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz in 1937; a ranchera with music composed by Pedro Laurenz, and sung by Héctor Farrel.
  • Patria Hermana , meaning ‘Sister Of The Fatherland’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 11 September 1939; a marcha with music composed by Francisco Canaro, lyrics by Ivo Pelay, and sung by Ernesto Famá and Francisco Amor.
  • Puerto Nuevo, meaning ‘New Port’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 18 March 1936; a marcha with music composed by Hans Diernhammer, first recorded in 1935, lyrics by Luis César Amadori, and sung by Roberto Maida. The name is a reference to the major works to move the docking facilities from various sites including La Boca to the current location north of Retiro. The works commenced in 1911 and when completed in 1928 the port was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • El 180; recorded by Julia Vidal in 1952; a gato with music composed by Alberto Acuña, Andres Chazzareta, and Rene Ruiz, and sung by Julia Vidal.
  • El Sol Del 25, meaning ‘The Sun Of 25’; recorded by Francisco Lomuto on 9 May 1939; a gato with music composed by Carlos Gardel and José Razzano, first recorded in 1917, lyrics by Domingo V Lombardi, and sung by Fernando Díaz and Jorge Omar. The name is a reference to the sun of the Argentine flag rising over the Rio De La Plata in a military context; in 1825 the United Kingdom recognised Argentinian independence, and the war that led to the secession of Uruguay commenced. This was a very popular song that year; Francisco Canaro also recorded it just a fortnight later, on 22 May 1939.
  • La Tia Renuncia; recorded by Elba Berón in 1956 with guest artist Francisco Tropoli on piano; a chamamé with music composed by Juan Carlos Mareco, lyrics by José Maria Pilepich, and sung by Elba Berón.
  • El Niño De Las Monjas, meaning ‘The Child of The Nuns’; recorded by Rafael Rossi; a pasodoble sung by Casadei brothers.
  • Paquiya; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 17 July 1936; a pasodoble with music and lyrics composed by Héctor Lomuto, and sung by Roberto Maida.
  • A La Huaca China; meaning ‘To The Inca Woman’, recorded by Francisco Canaro on 27 February 1939; a pasodoble with music composed by Francisco Pérez Anampa, first recorded in 1938, lyrics by Carlos Saco Herrera, and sung by Francisco Amor. The name is not a reference to the famous oasis of Huacachina in the Peruvian desert sands; here the term “Huaca” refers to the beliefs and ideology of the Inca people who controlled the Andes in the west of Argentina, whilst “China” refers to an indigenous woman.
  • Mariana; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 4 May 1939; a pasodoble with music and lyrics composed by Alejandro Gutiérrez Del Barrio, and sung by Ernesto Famá. The name is a reference to a woman’s name.
  • Argentina, meaning ‘Argentina’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 8 November 1937; a ranchera with music and lyrics composed by Héctor Lomuto, and sung by Roberto Maida.

Canyengue

2018-06-17 - Canyengue

Consistent with modern Buenos Aires usage the word may be pronounced Kan-zjéng-ay . But if you listen to a lot of early (pre-1940’s) singing of tango, the yeisma sounds more often like a Y than taking the modern ‘zh’ sound, so it probably was originally pronounced Can-yen-gue . Certainly this pronunciation is consistent with some of what we know of its early history. It was popular in the suburban districts of Buenos Aires from around 1900, perhaps 1890. In Lunfardo (Buenos Aires slang) the word implies ‘rough’, ‘of low social standing’ but its origins may be in a dance call in Ki-Kongo, an Afro-American language of Buenos Aires at the time—kanienge is a call to ‘Melt into the music!’ ‘Rhythmical walking’ is Marta Anton’s translation, or it may mean ‘lilting walk’. It was just one of the couple dances such as milonga that emerged in the same milieu. Afro-Argentine culture, the polka, and knife-fighting almost certainly contributed to it, but the precise mix of African, European, and Argentine influences and social circumstances that formed it is now lost. What we do know from photos is that this dance, the tango canyengue – rough tango – the tango of the orilleros, or outer lower-class suburbs – was what went to Paris in 1912 and took the world by storm over the following few years. This week features Canyengue from a series of orquestas exploring how it evolved from the very late 1920s onwards. That’s Tango Capital this Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

Image: http://www.todotango.com/musica/tema/134/Las-cuarenta/

The name Las Cuarenta means  (roughly) ‘Years of the 40s’. This piece was written in 1937, long after tango had mutated into tango liso and then salon tango. This was the music of “el dos”, meaning “the two”, that is, in 2/4 time, with the distinctive quick-quick-slow rhythm played on the left hand of the piano particularly clear in bars 3 and 4.

PLAYLIST:

  •  Copo De Nieve , meaning ‘Snowflake’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 20 July 1937; a canyengue with music composed by Raúl Cuello Rodríguez, lyrics by Denrique Miguel Gaudino, and sung by Roberto Maida.
  • No Cantes Ese Tango, meaning ‘Do Not Sing That Tango’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 27 May 1937; a canyengue with music composed by Francisco Lomuto in 1937, lyrics by Rodolfo Blas Arrigorriaga, and sung by Roberto Maida.
  • Que Nadie Se Entere, meaning ‘Nobody Knows’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 23 February 1937; a canyengue with music and lyrics composed by Alberto Gómez in 1936, and sung by Roberto Maida.
  • Nueve De Julio, meaning ‘Ninth Of July’; recorded by Cuarteto Guardia Vieja in 2005; a canyengue with music composed by José Luis Padula, first recorded in 1916 and lyrics by Lito Bayardo. The name is a reference to the annual celebration of Argentina’s independence.
  • Jueves, meaning ‘Thursday’; recorded by Cuarteto Guardia Vieja in 2005; a canyengue with music composed by Rafael Rossi, first recorded in 1919 and lyrics by Udelino Toranzo.
  • Cantando, meaning ‘Singing’; recorded by Adolfo Carabelli on 4 September 1931; a canyengue with music and lyrics composed by Mercedes Simone in 1931, and sung by Mercedes Simone and Alberto Gómez (Nico).
  • Mentira, meaning ‘Lie’; recorded by Adolfo Carabelli on 2 October 1931; a canyengue with music composed by Francisco Pracánico, first recorded in 1930, lyrics by Celadonio Flores, and sung by Carlos Lafuente.
  • Porqué, meaning ‘Why?’; recorded by Adolfo Carabelli on 2 November 1931; a canyengue with music composed by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1931, lyrics by Emilo Augusto Oscar Fresedo, and sung by Alberto Gómez (Nico).
  • Sentimiento Criollo, meaning ‘Argentine Feeling’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 31 March 1939; a canyengue with music composed by Roberto Firpo, first recorded in 1913 and lyrics by Domingo V Lombardi.
  • El Horizonte, meaning ‘The Horizon’; composed by Roberto Firpo and recorded by him on 23 May 1938.
  • Matasano, from lunfardo, meaning ‘Doctor’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 4 July 1937; a canyengue with music composed by Francisco Canaro in 1914.
  • El Chamuyo, meaning ‘The Chat’; recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor on 26 June 1930; a canyengue with music composed by Francisco Canaro, first recorded in 1918.
  • Filo Misho, from lunfardo, meaning ‘Poor Man’s Cash’; recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor on 8 May 1930; a canyengue with music composed by Marcos Larrosa.
  • Recuerdo, meaning ‘Memory’; recorded by Orquesta Típica Victor on 23 April 1930; a canyengue with music composed by Osvaldo Pugliese in 1924, lyrics by Eduardo Moreno, and sung by Roberto Díaz.
  • Hotel Victoria, meaning ‘Hotel Victoria’; recorded by La Tubatango in 2006; a canyengue with music composed by Feliciano Latasa in 1906 and lyrics by Carlos Pesce.
  • Pimienta, meaning ‘Pepper’; recorded by La Tubatango in 2006; a canyengue with music composed by Osvaldo Fresedo, first recorded in 1939.
  • Las Cuarenta, meaning ‘The Decade Of The Fourties’; recorded by Francisco Lomuto on 30 July 1937; a canyengue with music composed by Roberto Grela, lyrics by Francisco Gorrindo, and sung by Jorge Omar.
  • Otra Vez, meaning ‘Another Time’; recorded by Francisco Lomuto on 9 June 1938; a canyengue with music composed by Jorge Fernández, lyrics by José María Contursi, and sung by Jorge Omar.

 

Milonga

2018-06-07 - Milonga.JPG

This week features another in a series of editions exploring the evolution of the various different rhythms of tango. Unlike the European vals, milonga owed its roots to Africa, its distinguishing feature the liliting rise-and-fall of the habanero rhythm that entered the Americas with the slave trade in the Caribbean. Think of “La Paloma”, one of the most famous and well-known habaneras; it was written in 1861 by a Spanish composer, Sebastián Yradier on a visit to Cuba, but by then the rhythm had already established itself in Argentina – perhaps brought by the slaves introduced into Argentina earlier. It was omnipresent in Buenos Aires in the later parts of the 19th century, emerging from street organs, a staple of the itinerant musicians and unemployed workers, a fixture at the suburban dances. It was one of the many influences shaping the song and dance that would eventually become known as tango, but the milonga has survived alongside it. This week features milonga from a series of orquestas exploring how milonga evolved over the two decades from 1933. That’s Tango Capital this Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

Image: http://www.todotango.com/musica/tema/5106/Arrabalera-%5Bb%5D/

Milonga Porteña means ‘Milonga of  Buenos Aires’, and the name Arrabalera means  (roughly) ‘Woman of the Working Class suburbs’. Milonga has survived as a dance in its own right and this piece was written in 1938, long after tango had evolved out of milonga. The distinctive rise-and-fall pattern with the lengthened first note is clearly shown on the lower stave, where the left hand will play it on the piano.

PLAYLIST:

  •  Mi Buenos Aires, meaning ‘My Buenos Aires’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 7 October 1933; a milonga with music composed by Francisco Rofrano in 1893 and lyrics by Elisardo Besada. It’s also known as “Milonga De Hoy”, Milonga of Today.
  • Milonga Sentimental, meaning ‘Sentimental Milonga’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 9 February 1933; a milonga with music composed by Sebastián Piana in 1932, lyrics by Homero Manzi, and sung by Ernesto Famá and Ángel Ramos.
  • Milonga Compadre, meaning ‘Mate’s Milonga’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz on 12 May 1938; a milonga with music composed by José Mastro in 1915, lyrics by Carlos Bahr, and sung by Juan Carlos Casas.
  • La Vida Es Una Milonga, meaning ‘Life Is A Milonga’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz on 5 September 1941; a milonga with music composed by Fernando Montoni, lyrics by Rodolfo Sciammarella, and sung by Martín Podestá. The name is a reference to the compadritos, the displaced gauchos that drifted to Buenos Aires in search of work.
  • Campo Afuera, meaning ‘Outside’; recorded by Rodolfo Biagi on 27 April 1939; a milonga with music composed by Rodolfo Biagi in 1939, lyrics by Homero Manzi, and sung by Teófilo Ibáñez.
  • Picante, meaning ‘Spicy’; recorded by Rodolfo Biagi on 21 Octobeer 1941; a milonga with music composed by José Luis Padula.
  • El Naranjerito, meaning ‘The Little Orange Tree’; recorded by Lucio Demare on 14 April 1942; a milonga with music composed by Alberto Nery and Héctor Varela, lyrics by Homero Expósito, and sung by Juan Carlos Miranda. It’s also known as Pregón.
  • Milonga En Rojo, meaning ‘Milonga In Red’; recorded by Lucio Demare on 3 September 1942; a milonga with music composed by Lucio Demare and Roberto Fugazot, lyrics by José González Castillo (Juan de León), and sung by Juan Carlos Miranda.
  • Pena Mulata, meaning ‘Sad Afro-Argentine Woman’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 16 June 1941; a milonga with music composed by Sebastián Piana in 1941 and lyrics by Homero Manzi. It’s from Firpo’s Cuarteto
  • El Lloron, meaning ‘The Weeping Man’; recorded by Roberto Firpo on 2 June 1944; a milonga with music composed by Juan Félix Maglio in 1933 and lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo. It’s from Firpo’s Cuarteto
  • Azabache, meaning ‘Black’; recorded by Miguel Caló on 29 September 1942; a candombe with music composed by Enrique Francini and Héctor Stamponi, lyrics by Homero Expósito, and sung by Raúl Berón.
  • Milonga Que Peina Canas, meaning ‘Milonga Of The Grey-Haired’; recorded by Miguel Caló on 9 September 1932; a milonga with music and lyrics composed by Alberto Gómez in 1942, and sung by Raúl Berón. The name is a reference to an ornamental comb (peina) holding back a woman’s greyed hair.
  • Milonga De Mi Tierra, meaning ‘Milonga Of My Land’; recorded by Osvalddo Pugliese on 21 October 1943; a milonga with music composed by Alberto Pugliese, lyrics by José Sassone, and sung by Jorge Rubino.
  • Tortazos, meaning ‘Blows’; recorded by Osvalddo Pugliese on 1 June 1944; a milonga with music composed by José Razzano in 1930, lyrics by Enrique Maroni, and sung by Roberto Chanel. The name is a reference to a series of blows or knocks in a fight.
  • Así Me Gusta A Mí, meaning ‘That’s The Way I Like It’; recorded by Ángel D’Agostino on 17 November 1942; a milonga with music composed by Ángel D’Agostino, lyrics by José Barreiros Bazán, and sung by Ángel Vargas.
  • Señores, Yo Soy Del Centro, meaning ‘Gentlemen, I Am Of The Centre’; recorded by Ángel D’Agostino on 20 March 1945; a milonga with music composed by Armando Baliotti, first recorded in 1944, lyrics by Santiago Luis D Adamini, and sung by Ángel Vargas. The name is a reference to the central part of Buenos Aires, around Corrientes St, and a centre for tango in the 1940s.
  • Cuando Te Hablen Del Domingo, meaning ‘When They Talk To You About Sunday’; recorded by Enrique Rodríguez on 18 January 1945; a milonga with music composed by Julián Ortiz, lyrics by Luis Justino Mejías, and sung by 18 January 1945.
  • Juan Palomo; recorded by Enrique Rodríguez on 22 May 1946; a milonga with music composed by Enrique Rodríguez, lyrics by Carlos Goicoechea and Rogelio Cordone, and sung by Ricardo Herrera and Fernando Reyes. “Juan Palomo” is the name of the character talking in the lyrics
  • Taquito Militar, meaning “Military Heels” ; recorded by the orquesta of Enrique Francini and Armando Pontier on 7 December 1953; a milonga with music composed by Mariano Mores.

 

Vals

2018-06-02 - Desde El Alma - Detail

There are all sorts of views on the role of vals in tango. Waltz was the scandalous dance of the early 19th century that slipped quietly into respectability after a couple of generations, so much so that a 14 year old girl could write the most popular vals of all time – Desde El Alma. Musicians say when the equally scandalous tango developed in Buenos Aires, vals was played by tango bands as a smokescreen when the moral police came around. This all meant that there was an early tradition of vals, and so when D’Arienzo re-invigorated tango music generally in 1935, he made the infectiously danceable vals part of the package – leading to an explosion of valses from many different orquestas over the following decade. This week features valses from a series of orquestas  exploring how vals evolved from the very late 1920s onwards. That’s Tango Capital this Sunday evening from 7:00pm to 8:00pm:

Image: http://www.todotango.com/historias/cronica/183/Desde-el-alma-Desde-el-alma-un-vals-criollo-y-romantico/

PLAYLIST:

  •  Amor Y Celos, meaning ‘Love And Passion’; recorded by Francisco Lomuto on 30 September 1930; a vals with music composed by Miguel Padula, first recorded in 1928, and lyrics by Alfredo Faustino Roldán.
  • A Su Memoria, meaning ‘To Your Memory’; recorded by Francisco Lomuto on 1 October 1931; a vals with music composed by Antonio Sureda, first recorded in 1927, lyrics by Homero Manzi, and sung by Anselmo Hilarion Acuña and Fernando Diaz.
  • Muy Lindo, meaning ‘Very Beautiful’; recorded by Francisco Canaro on 3 December 1938; a vals with music composed by Émile Charles Waldteufel, first recorded in 1932. Also known as Très Jolie.
  • Francia, meaning ‘France’; recorded by Francisco Cana on 7 June 1943; a vals with music composed by Octavio Barbero, first recorded in 1935 and lyrics by Carlos Pesce. It’s from Canaro’s Pirincho Quintet.
  • Salud, Dinero, Y Amor, meaning ‘Health, Money, and Love’; recorded by Enrique Rodriquéz on 25 July 1939; a vals with music and lyrics composed by Rodolfo Sciammarella, and sung by Roberto Flores.
  • Tengo Mil Novias, meaning ‘I Have A Thousand Girlfriends’; recorded by Enrique Rodriquéz on 10 October 1939; a vals with music composed by Enrique Rodriguéz, lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo, and sung by Roberto Flores.
  • Ribereña, meaning ‘Riverbank’; recorded by Lucio Demare on 13 March 1942; a vals with music composed by Victor Braña and Santiago Coppola, lyrics by Enrique Miguel Gaudino, and sung by Juan Carlos Miranda.
  • Entrelazando Los Corazones, meaning ‘The Hearts Entwining’; recorded by Lucio Demare in 1944; a vals with music and lyrics composed by Georgina Vargas, and sung by Horacio Quintana.
  • Pájaro Herido, meaning ‘Wounded Bird’; recorded by Rodolfo Biagi on 7 October 1941; a vals with music composed by Esteban A Parma and Amadeo Faffo and lyrics by Guillermo Naccarelle.
  • Amor Y Vals, meaning ‘Love And Waltz’; recorded by Rodolfo Biagi on 22 May 1942; a vals with music composed by Rodolfo Biagi, lyrics by Carlos Bahr, and sung by Alberto Lago.
  • Flor De Lino, meaning ‘Flower Of Flax’; recorded by Miguel Caló on 3 Devember 1946; a vals with music composed by Héctor Stamponi, lyrics by Homero Expósito, and sung by Raúl Iriate.
  • Manos Adoradas, meaning ‘Adorable Hands’; recorded by Miguel Caló on 3 October 1952; a vals with music composed by Roberto Rufio, first recorded in 1951, lyrics by Horacio Sanguinetti, and sung by Juan Carlos Fabri.
  • Mascarita, meaning ‘Little Mask’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz on 21 February 1940; a vals with music composed by Pedro Laurenz, lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo, and sung by Alberto Podestá.
  • Paisaje, meaning ‘Landscape’; recorded by Pedro Laurenz on 6 August 1943; a vals with music composed by Sebastián Piana, lyrics by Homero Manzi, and sung by Juan Carlos Casas.
  • A Mi Madre, meaning ‘To My Mother’; recorded by Francini-Pontier on 10 May 1948; a vals with music and lyrics composed by Francisco Peña, first recorded in 1928, and sung by Roberto Rufino.
  • Las Rosas De Mi Madre, meaning ‘The Roses Of My Mother’; recorded by Francini-Pontier on 19 January 1956; a vals with music composed by Enrique Francini, first recorded in 1956, lyrics by María Ester M. de Carnevale, and sung by Alberto Podestá.
  • Ilusión Marina, meaning ‘Sea Dream’; recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese on 28 January 1947; a vals with music composed by Antonio Sureda, first recorded in 1930, lyrics by Gerónimo Sureda, and sung by Alberto Morán.
  • Dos Que Se Aman, meaning ‘Two That Love Each Other’; recorded by Osvaldo Pugliese on 15 September 1948; a vals with music composed by Antonio Torno, lyrics by Manuel Maria Flores, and sung by Alberto Morán.