History and Musicality of Argentine Tango A sad

History and Musicality of Argentine Tango A sad thought that can be danced Bob Barnes, Mandragora Tango Orchestra http: //www. mandragoratango. com

Goals n Think about musical forms like a musician n Hear musical “points of inflection” where the mood or rhythm changes n Think of how the music tells a story, even if you don’t speak Spanish n Have a bunch of “A-ha!!!” moments n As Socrates more or less kinda said, you probably already know this on some level.

Agenda n n n A brief introduction to tango An exceedingly incomplete history of Tango Music An unnecessarily terse exposition of musical forms for non-musicians, with some help from our friend, Malena Some thoughts on the structure of the dance, from “micro-tango” to “macro-tango” I’ll give you some resources for further study

On with dance, let joy be unconfined, is my motto; whethere's any dance to dance or any joy to unconfine. Mark Twain

What Is Tango n n n n No Argentine will give you a straight answer Anything written by an Argentine Predominantly in minor key Continuation of 19 th Century Romanticism Classical music you can dance to A sad thought that can be danced A vertical expression of a horizontal desire A city in Japan

Tango is from Argentina

Argentine Melting Pot n n n n Much like the US, but Spanish speaking Founded by Spanish in 1500 s Country of immigrants. Most Argentines have Italian names Most Argentines claim to have one cousin in New York and one in Italy (it’s a joke!) 3 rd biggest Jewish population on earth Aboriginal Genocide: few natives Slavery was not a major economic factor, so very few Africans (but those that were there had a big role in tango, as we will see)

The Origins of Tango • Cuban “Habanera” • Italian Opera & Neapolitan Songs • Eastern European Polka • Spanish Guitar • African Rhythms

Tangos first appeared in Brothels • Buenos Aires had twice as many men as women in the 1890 s • Bars and Brothels were social spots for working class men • Men would dance with each other while waiting for women • Needless to say, tango was looked down upon by polite society

La Guardia Vieja (Old Guard) Quartets of Flute, Guitar, Bando & Violin Pianos and basses added much later A-B-A-Trio form, just like a march or ragtime Here is “Sabado Ingles” (English Saturday) Juan “Pacho” Maglio, 1917

Tango goes to Paris • Right after WW 1, Tango takes Europe by Storm • Huge fad that remains to this day • All of a sudden, Tango becomes “respectable” in Buenos Aires

Warning: In 1917, Pope Benedict XV Condemned the Tango, calling it immoral and lascivious. My guess is that Benedict XVI feels pretty much the same way in 2008.

Garlos Gardel • Born 1887 • Either in France or Uruguay • Do not mention France to an Uruguyan. The French don’t really care, though. • One of the first Latin megarecording stars • First Latin matinee idol • Killed in a plane crash in Medellln, Columbia in 1935

• Gardel’s grave is always tended and he always has a lit cigarette in his hand • Here is “Mi Buenos Aires querido” • Listen for the arabic/flamenco trill in the first phrase

Epoca de Oro (Golden Age) • 1930 -1950 (Roughly) • When someone says they dance “Argentine Tango”, this is what they mean • Orquesta Tipica: 4 Bandos, 4 Violins, Bass, Piano and a Singer. • 3 -4 minutes. • Singer starts half way though. • Chan-chan at the end

Transitional Period • After WW 2, Argentina was very rich from selling food (mostly beef) to Europe • Political instability • Juan and Eva (Evita) Peron • Tango became more complex and more for listening • Osvaldo Pugliese • Anibal Troilo

Anibal Trolio and “Sur” • About the southern part of Bs. As • Edmundo Rivero Sings.

San Juan y Boedo antigua y todo el cielo, Pompeya y, mas alla, la inundacion, tu melena de novia en el recuerdo, y tu nombre flotando en el adios. . . La esquina del herrero barro y pampa, tu casa, tu vereda y el zanjon y un perfume de yuyos y de alfalfa que me llena de nuevo el corazon. Sur. . . paredon y despues. . . Sur. . . una luz de almacen. . . Ya nunca me veras como me vieras, recostado en la vidriera y esperandote, ya nunca alumbrare con las estrellas nuestra marcha sin querellas por las noches de Pompeya. Las calles y las lunas suburbanas y mi amor en tu ventana todo ha muerto, ya lo se. Ancient San Juan and Boedo streetcorner, the whole sky Pompeya and farther down, the floods Your loose hair of a bride in my memory and your name floating in the farewell The blacksmith’s corner, mud and pampa, our house, your sidewalk, and the ditch and a scent of weeds and alfalfa that fills the heart all over again. South, a large wall and then. . . South, a light from a general store. . . You’ll never see me again, like you saw me, reclined on the glass window and waiting for you. I’ll never illuminate with the stars our walk without quarrels on the evenings of Pompeya. . . The streets and the suburban moons, and my love on your window, all is dead, I know it. . .

La Yumba • Signature Sound of Osvaldo Pugliese • Onomatopoeic Bass Sound • Extremely Percussive

Near Death Experience of Tango • • Went out of fashion Urban vs. Rural tension w/ Juntas Rock and Folklorico In Bs. As, there are many more places to dance Salsa than Tango • Tango became a listening genre • Dramatic singers and big orchestras • “Tango for Export”

Rebirth of Tango • End of military Juntas in 1982 • Luis Bravo’s “Forever Tango” in 1985 popularized it in Europe and N. America • Popularity of Piazzolla • Collapse of Argentine economy • Tourism • Danced all over the planet. Extremely popular in France, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, etc… • About 300 tango dancers in Mpls. • Check out mntango. com to learn more

Talking about music is like dancing about architecture Laurie Anderson

Let’s meet my friend, Malena Music by Lucio Demare Words by Homero Manzi It has all the classic elements of tango lyrics: n Sadness n Poverty n Cold, unattainable women n Nostalgia/Homesickness n Alcohol

Malena canta el tango como ninguna y en cada verso pone su corazon. A yuyo del suburbio su voz perfuma, Malena tiene pena de bandoneon. Tal vez, alla en la infancia, su voz de alondra tomo ese tono oscuro del callejon, o acaso aquel romance que solo nombra cuando se pone triste con el alcohol. Malena canta el tango con voz de sombra Malena tiene pena de bandoneón. Malena sings tango like no one else And she puts her heart into every verse Her voice is perfumed with a kind of weed that grows in the slums Malena has the sorrow of the Bandoneon Perhaps, back in her childhood, her lark’s voice Acquired that dark sound of an alley, Or maybe it is the romance she only names When she gets sad with alchohol Malena sings the tango with a voice of shadow Malena has the sadness of the bandoneon. Tu cancion tiene el frio del ultimo encuentro, Tu cancion se hace amarga en la sal del recuerdo. Yo no se si tu voz es la flor de una pena, Solo se que al rumor de tus tangos, Malena, te siento mas buena, mas buena que yo. Your song has the coldness of our last encounter Your song has become bitter with the salt (tears) of remembrance I don’t know if your voice is a flower of sadness All I know is that in the sound of your tangos, Malena, I believe you are much kinder, much kinder than I

A bar (compas) is 4 equal steps 1 2 3 4 4 quarter notes in a bar is called 4/4 time.

How musicians notate a bar Whole Note Half Note Quarter Note Eighth Note 16 th. Note 32 nd Note 64 th. Note Most tangos are a mix of quarter eighth notes (This statement is unbelievably oversimplified!)

“Nothing Swings like 4/4 Time”

A band will put different weights on different beats. This is “En 4” 1 2 3 4

This is “En 2”. Note how there is just the slightest hint of 2 & 4 1 3 2 4

In reality, 1 & 3 are like a metronome and 2 & 4 will be delayed ever so slightly. This is what gives tango a “swing” (often called “Canyengue”) 1 1 3 2 4 3 2 The different degrees of delay and different stresses define the styles of different orchestras. 4

An “arrastre” (drag) is sometimes used to accent the first beat of a bar (but not in every bar!) It can sound like a growl 1 & 2 3 1 4 & 2 3 4 This is usually done by the bass and the left hands of the piano and bandoneon. This is used to accent a phrase and is a good “point of inflection” to look for.

Playing in 2 and 4 over and over again will get boring sooner or later. Let’s mix it up with a “sincopa” (syncopation). Notice that there is no “ 4” 1 & & (This is a great way to go from parallel to cross-step) 3 1 & & 3

When you mix an arrastre with a sincopa, you get one of my favorite figures: the “sincopa adelante” 1 & & & 3 Orquesta tipicas use this to great effect to change the beat of a tango

Phrasing Basic building blocks of musical form n Traditionally, a phrase is how much a person can sing on one breath. n Usually 4 bars n Phrases can leave you in the air (Antecedent) n Phrases can ground you (Consequent) n In Tango a “Chan-chan” ends each Consequent phrase n

Antecedent and Consequent Phrases Antecedent Consequent Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I’m found Was blind, but now I see Stop

Windows are the spaces between phrases. n n Some windows pause time. At the end of an antecedant. A good place for a showy figure or a dramatic pause Some windows mark time: the end of a consequent phrase. A good place to collect your feet and relax for a split second. Windows are a place where a solo instrument can fill in or the orchestra can leave a space for the dancer’s imagination As an exercise, listen for windows in the tango music you hear this weekend

Tango Form n n n Several phrases together make a section A section has a “Chan-chan” at the end. Each section will have a different affect Sections are usually called “A” and “B” Guardia Vieja tangos have 3 sections: A, B and Trio. This is exactly like a March, Polka or Ragtime Antecedent Consequent

Tops and Tails In Bs. As, no one dances at the start of a song. n Folks stand around for 30 seconds n The band can play an intro (top) that is out of rhythm n The coda (tail) usually restates a main theme n The coda will try to “telegraph” the ending. n Good dancers will hear the endings coming and will react to them. n

Typical Tango Form Intro A: Antecedent B: Antecedent A: Antecedent Coda (end) Antecedent Consequent Antecedent Consequent Antecedent (These are usually sung)

Some Psychobabble about the Universality of Tango

Reasons for music n n n n Storytelling: a ballad Praise: religious music Listening: concert music Dance: um, for dancing Most Argentines love tango for listening and for storytelling. Tango Radio is mostly vocalists singing undanceable interpretaions Despite what dancers think, Astor Piazzolla is a national hero and widely listened to. (But not for dance)

Ipulse of Will How musicians express intent to each other n “Chamber music Start” n Make no small plans n

Primacy and Recency (serial position effect) Psychological theory that states that people best remember the first few items and the last few items in a list n Allevare: the first move in a tango. Make it count! Make it with authority and gravitas! n Buena Pinatura: paint a “good picture” with your last move. Followers dig it when the leader ends on the last beat n Most likely to forget stuff in the middle. Save your crappy moves for here. n

Points of Inflection n n From calculus. It’s a place where the function changes Listen to when the music changes. (usually every 4 or 8 bars) Section, phrase, texture, beat. It’s all good When your figures change when the music changes, you are dancing in the music

Rule of 3 s 3 is a magic number n When you riff on a figure, don’t repeat it more than 3 times. n Jazz musicians use this all the time. n

Tango is a Narrative Dance A 3 minute love affair n A tango should have a beginning, middle and end n Try to tell a story. By definition, the story is abstract. n Communication between partners is the goal of good tango. Try to say something meaningfull n There are some things you can’t say in words n

Nostalgia and Tango n n n Reminds Argentines of a time when they were richer and life was simpler. Allows Extraños to pretend to be part of that time Authentocracy: we worship the past and ignore the present. Not that much new tango. Many bands only play new arrangements of old tangos. How many Salsa bands play 100 year old songs? Live music is generally more modern than dancers want. There are exceptions (Berretin and Mandrágora, for instance) Example: Troilo’s version of La cumparsita

Learning More n mandragoratango. com/dj n n n 70 of the most played tangos for download You can find our site by googleing “tango band” Listen, Listen!!! Only 300 -400 tangos commonly played at Bs. As Milongas. A “Classic Rock” station may only have 200 songs in its playlist. The more you hear, the more you internalize, and the better you dance (unless you play accordion)

Thank You Bob Barnes, Mandrágora Tango Orchestra