History Of Tango

730 Words2 Pages

Morgan Zaccardo
Homework #3
The Rioplatense Tango

The history and development of tango can be divided into three stages, the first stage being La Guardia vieja, or Old Guard, which lasted until 1920. During this time, tango had emerged as a genre of instrumental music. The form during this time consisted of three parts, with different sections (ABC). This form usually uses four instruments: flute, violin, guitar and bandoneon. The most famous tango ever written is from this time period, Gerardo Matos Rodrigez’s “La cumparsita.” This early tango used rhythms related to habanera and milonga in duple meter and began to slow the tempo down during the 1910s. During this time, a quadruple meter with sharp accents was also adopted. Marcato and sincopa, two new patterns, established the harmonic and rhythmic foundations of more recent tangos.
During the second phase, La Guardia nueva, or New Guard, tango became common popular in all social classes. Tango began to gain prestige and was present on the radio, in movies, nightclubs and cafes. This period lasted from 1920-1955. According to the text, tango underwent a “rags to riches” transformation, where it moved to upscale social scenes. A new style, tango cancion, evolved from this tango. Tango cancion emphasized the voice to highlight the expressive accents of the text and used a flexible sense of rhythmic ebb and flow (rubato) to do so. The instrumental accompaniment then became smoother and more polished because piano and strings enhanced the ensemble. The bandoneon, which once dominated the ensemble, now blended effortlessly with the other instruments. No single instrument stood out. The tango cancion used a standardized form with two equal and balanced sections. This highlighted th...

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...ions in Buenos Aires are tango performances that combine elements of Broadway musicals and Argentine folk genres. This industry has created several jobs for tango performers in the region.
Young, innovative musicians have attempted renewed classic tango styles, repertoires and practices by creating innovative projects. This refurbishment of tango has allowed local identities to be celebrated. Ensembles like 34 Punaladas has renewed the image of Gardelian tango, including old and new lunfardo lyrics and including elements of poverty, bitterness and injustice. Other artists create a spin on original compositions such as Daniel Melingo who includes electronic instruments, sampling techniques, rock styles, and Latin American idioms.
Today international audiences experience the tango in different ways and the possibilities are endless for tango innovation and growth.

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