About the music

Tango originated in the 19th Century in the Rio de la Plata region, primarily in Monte Video and Buenos Aires. It incorporated musical elements from Europe (particularly Spain and Italy) and Africa, assimilated from the immigrant and slave populations.

The traditional tango that is danced to today mainly dates from the late 20s (the start of electric recording) to the late 50s, and centres on the early 1940s, the height of the so called ‘Golden Age of Tango’. It is usually played by an orchestra (orquesta), identified with its leader – many of these leaders composed tangos, but orchestras played a range of tangos by different composers including other orchestra leaders. This is largely equivalent to big band jazz in the US of the same era, with bands playing standards as well as newer compositions.

The standard tango orchestra is built around the piano and the bass, a violin section and a bandoneon section. The bandoneon (link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandoneon) is the definitive tango instrument, a notoriously difficult to play bellows-based instrument originally designed as a portable church organ. Here Pedro Laurenz, a virtuoso bandoneonista, plays solo (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecwTMs__9ec) 

In addition to tango, tango dancers also dance to vals criolla, a fast waltz which is normally danced with many turning movements, here demonstrated by dancers Tete and Sylvia (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJDowJI0-7s), and milonga. Milonga has a distinct underlying rhythm (bom – ba-bom bom) which can clearly be heard at the 47 second mark of (and throughout) this dance by Pocho and Nely (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br9rMO3BMoM)

Some of the most famous orchestras (identified by their leaders):

Rodolfo Biagi – Biagi rose to fame as the pianist for Juan D’Arienzo (see below) before starting his own orchestra in the 40’s. His style is dry, sparse and rhythmic with slightly strange off-beat accents and dropped beats. Sample track: Belgica (Belgium) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzJXUZc5pEk)

Miguel Calo – Calo’s music is rich and very romantic. His most successful partnership was with the singer Raul Beron in the early 40’s. Sample track: Al Compas del Corazon (To the Beat of the Heart) (link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoNXvp31xmA )

Francisco Canaro – Canaro’s best music was made in the late 20s and 30s and he was commercially very successful. His tangos often have a marchy quality, but he truly shines with his valses and his wonderful milongas. Sample track: Milonga de Mis Amores (Milonga of My Loves) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy5nRN-rmJY)

Angel D’Agostino – D’Agostino is best known for his partnership with singer Angel Vargas. Together, as ‘the two Angels’, they created refined tangos with subtle and complex arrangements. Sample track: Tres Equinas (Three Corners) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJzLsnQhaQs) 

Juan D’Arienzo – Known as ‘the King of the Beat’, D’Arienzo launched the golden age of tango in Argentina with his rhythmic, driving and danceable music powered by his bandoneon section and complemented by low buzzing solo violin. Sample track: Nuevo de Julio (Ninth of July) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU89qhuTlNI)

Carlos di Sarli – A giant of tango, Di Sarli recorded from in the early 30s and then from the 40s through to his death in the late 50s. His distinctive tango sound is dominated by melody in the string section, with Di Sarli’s piano holding the whole structure together underneath. Sample track: Indio Manso (Calm Indian) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4wCvY_Bg60)

Osvaldo Fresedo – Fresedo created romantic and refined tango for the upper classes in Buenos Aires, with strings to the forefront. His best loved work is with singers Roberto Ray in the 30s and Ricardo Ruiz in the early 40s. Sample track: Buscandote (Searching for You) (with Ricardo Ruiz) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxpVW69LRYw)

Pedro Laurenz – Laurenz’s music was forward looking with subtle underlying rhythm changes that hold great appeal for dancers. His bandoneon playing is unparalleled as can be heard in the solos on the following track. Sample track: Amurado (Abandoned) (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wt3NBXgP3c) 

Osvaldo Pugliese – Pugliese is tango’s great innovator, a pianist whose dramatic music presents a difficult but rewarding challenge for dancers, with changes of tempo and alterations between strident rhythms and moments of the sweetest melody, often played in the highest register of the violin. Sample track: Gallo Ciego (Blind Rooster) (link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSg9B_plTtA) 

Ricardo Tanturi – Tanturi is famous due to his partnership with two of tangos greatest singers: Alberto Castillo and Uruguayan Enrique Campos. Tanturi’s eminently danceable music combined with either of these two distinct singers is always popular with dancers. Sample track: Asi se Baila el Tango with Alberto Castillo (This is How to Dance Tango) (link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HSM4TLPO5c) 

Anibal Troilo – Troilo is a revered figure in tango. A bandoneonista with a distinctive minimalist style in his solos, his music was forward looking, balanced and brilliant. With singer Francisco Fiorentino, and virtuoso pianist Orlando Goni, he formed the definitive orchestra-singer partnership. Sample track: En Esta Tarde Gris (On this Gray Afternoon) (link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QhfWRPTToA​)