Access to Traditional Tango Music

Access to Traditional Tango Music
Bob Murray (dr.robert.murray1@gmail.com)

Just as, if you want to improve your dancing, you need to practice, if you want to gain the benefits of dancing to the traditional music that shaped the dance, you need to do some work. You need to read and to study.

Books - the best book to start is Michael Lavocah’s  “Tango Music Secrets” available from Amazon but cheaper from his web site

www.tangomusicsecrets.co.uk 

Michael has authored books on Pugliese, Troilo and Di Sarli.

Getting to know: Twenty Tango Orchestras by David Thomas

www.tango-journey.com

Tango 500 by Clive Harrison

500 tracks arranged in tandas. Although written for DJs, it is a good read and so much music listed.

Streaming - if you subscribe to Apple Music or Spotify, there need never be silence in your house. Nearly all of the music listed in the above books, you will be able to find and play

YouTube - it is simple to enter the names of the big orchestras and feast ears and eyes on the results, eg

Canaro tango

Have a look at Sebastian Arce and Mariana Montes dancing to Milonga Criolla. All simple steps but with fantastic musicality.

Look at the Orquetra Tipica playing with 5 bandoneons in the front line!

Listen to Ada Falcon singing Te Quiero

Di Sarli tango - watch the Carlos Di Sarli orchestra play Bahia Blanca

D’Arrienzo tango - watch Loca and compare it to the version by the orchestra La Juan D’Arrienzo which was formed around the grandson of one member of the original band.

Watch D’Arrienzo with Mercedes Serrano singing Nada Mas - watch out for his eyebrows!

Pugliese tango - watch this great orchestra play La Yumba. Yumba is the sound the bandoneons make “yum” as they approach the beat on “ba”.

Scenes of Buenos Aires accompany the playing of Recuerdo, which is Pugliese’s first full tango composition.

You will be able to see and hear the Pugliese Orchestra play a famous concert at Teatro Colon in 1985. This concert meant that tango was accepted by the oligarchs of Buenos Aires society as a genuine genre of music.

Troilo tango - listen to the Troilo band play Malena, the most famous tango song. The recording of Malena in 1942, marked a movement towards melody, as distinct from the rhythmic approach. initiated by D’Arrienzo in 1935.

Wallow in the plethora of music available. If you explore what is offered alongside the main search, the evening has gone!

Radio. An internet radio or an App such as Tune-in Radio on your tablet will give access to radio stations throughout the world. A search for tango music will result in at least a” dozen stations. There are many, such as La 2x4 that will play tango music 24 hours a day, giving you information about the track being played. Such riches, try to get some sleep!