Astor Piazzolla

Piazzolla’s Sinfonietta: Before the Tango

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Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) had not fully embraced the nuevo tango style that would become his signature when, in 1953, he composed the Sinfonietta. The spirited three-movement work for chamber orchestra was written during a transitional period as Piazzolla completed his studies with fellow Argentine Alberto Ginastera. A year later, he settled in Paris, where Nadia Boulanger urged him to stop suppressing his authentic voice. In his memoir, the composer recalled, She …

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Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”: Winter and Spring

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During his student days, Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) attempted to run away from his Argentine Tango roots, only to return home. In 1954, he wrote a symphony for the Buenos Aires Philharmonic which earned him a scholarship to study in Paris with the legendary Nadia Boulanger. It was in a lesson with Boulanger that the young Piazzolla was encouraged to embrace his authentic voice. In his memoir, the composer recalled, She kept asking: …

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Piazzolla’s “Tangazo”: A Passionate, Unspoken Dialogue

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Originating in the working class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires during the mid-19th century, the tango grew out of a fusion of European, African, and native Argentine influences. When the composer, Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), moved this sultry street music into the concert hall, at first, traditionalists objected vehemently. By the time the heckling and boos faded, Piazzolla had revolutionized the tango with a fusion of new elements, which included jazz and twentieth century …

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Vivaldi and Piazzolla: Two Visions of Summer

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Antonio Vivaldi’s collection of violin concerti, The Four Seasons, composed between 1718 and 1720, remains some of the most famous, virtuosic, and evocative music ever written. Concerto No. 2 in G minor “Summer” begins under a burning summer sun. The opening bars suggest an oppressive, sultry haze. As the music unfolds, nature comes alive with the song of the cuckoo, turtledove, and finch. The sounds of a shepherd herald the approach of a storm. …

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Astor Piazzolla at 100

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This month marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), the Argentine tango composer and virtuoso bandoneon player. The tango, a seductive dance made up of African, Native American, and European cultural influences, originated in the 1880s in the impoverished districts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Similarly, Piazzolla’s music simmers in a rich melting pot which blends sultry tango rhythms with jazz and classical elements. Piazzolla played a major …

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Oblivion

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Take a moment and listen to this hauntingly atmospheric music by twentieth century Argentine tango composer, Astor Piazzolla. Oblivion was written in 1982 and used in the soundtrack of Mario Bellocchio’s film, Enricho IV. There are many versions of this piece for different combinations of instruments. This performance features Latvian violinist, Gidon Kremer and comes from his CD, Hommage a Piazzolla. Like all great music, Oblivion conjures up a complex mix of emotions which …

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