Milonga

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 19^th 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:

• broadcasting on 2xxfm 98.3 in Canberra
• streaming live to the web at http://www.2xxfm.org.au
• on demand from http://www.2xxfm.org.au

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.