Carlos Di Sarli - Virtual Class 8/30/2020 by Makela Tango

For the dancers, Carlos Di Sarli brings us lots of memories. Maybe the first class taken was playing his music. I particularly remember a performance of Osvaldo Zotto and Lorena Ermocida of Bahía Blanca at el Club Almagro in the 90s. I thought they were magnificent, and I will never forget how they expressed the music of Di Sarli with their foot work and embrace.

Carlos Di Sarli has many danceable tangos . They are simple, with a clear beat and at the same time the violins add a great sweet romantic melody. The piano is present in all the little spaces, to give us followers the opportunity to add embellishments. The almost inexistent bandoneon, appears in the moments that it is needed, given to the piece the tango flavor.

Roberto Firpo - Virtual Class 7/26/2020

One of the first cabarets was called The Armenonville - located at the Plaza Grand Bourg, in an European style chalet. In 1913 they called for auditions and Robert Firpo was selected among many other musicians. It is the beginning of the PIANO as the leading instrument in tango. The famous duo Gardel- Razzano also premiered there in 1913 while Firpo was playing.

Rodolfo Biagi - Virtual Class w/Makela 7/19/2020

My favorites tunes of Rodolfo Biagi

Gólgota, 1938, Teófilo Ibañez

El trece, 1938 -

Griseta, 1939, Andrés Falgás

Cielo, 1939, Andrés Falgás

Francisco Lomuto - Virtual Class 7/12/20 by Makela

I love dancing to the orchestra of Francisco Lomuto. They played very danceable songs, with a strong rhythm structure and catchy melody structure. He was influenced by his friend Francisco Canaro, who helped him out at the beginning of his career.

Ricardo Tanturi - Virtual Class w/Makela 7/5/2020

As many of you know, the orchestra of Ricardo Tanturi is my favorite, especially with singer Alberto Castillo. Así se baila el tango is my mother's favorite tango, and she always treasures her memory of seeing Alberto Castillo at the break of her concert standing next to the Club Andes Talleres Club Sport in Godoy Cruz, Mendoza where she used to live at that time…

Angel D'Agostino - Virtual Class w/Makela 6/28/2020

In his own words: “I am a milonguero (tango dancer) (…) so I shaped my orchestras with two conceptions that I never gave up: respect for the melodic line and rhythmic emphasis to make the dancing easier. When the singer breaks into the scene and displaces the musician from the spotlight, the orchestra was structured in such a way that music and singing did not interrupt the possibility of dancing. For that, the singer had to turn into one more instrument, a privileged instrument, but not apart.”

Pedro Laurenz - Virtual Class w/Makela 6/14/2020

Played with Julio De Caro’s orchestra and Pedro Maffia - the dos PEDROS dúo (two Pedros bandoneon duet). Maffia leaves in 1926. He wrote beautiful variations for Mala Junta (1947) and Mal de Amores. Pedro Laurenz created his own orchestra in 1934. He took with him from De Caro’s orchestra: Armando Blasco (bandoneón) and Osvaldo Pugliese (piano).

Tango Musicality/HistoryMakela TangoJune 15, 2020Makela Tangopedro laurenz, tango musicality, bandoneonComment

Alfredo De Angelis - Virtual Class w/Makela 5/31/2020

Pianist, leader and composer. (2 November 1910 - 31 March 1992)

He focused on the melody with a very simple rhythmic conception. His best numbers were those with vocal duos (Dante/Martel). Around 1949 the orchestra wen through a brief rhythmic period but the departure of Julio Martel at the end of 1951 marks the end of their best recording, with the exception of instrumentals (Pavadita).

Lucio Demare - Virtual Class w/Makela 5/24/2020

Lucio Demare is born in 1906 in the neighborhood of El Abasto, in Buenos Aires, in a family of musicians. The father Domingo played the violin, his brother Lucas (important cineaste) the bandoneon, and Lucio chose the piano. At 8 he was already working playing to musicalize silent films in a cinema. He was the composer of Malena.

Miguel Caló - Virtual Class w/Makela 5/10/2020

Bandoneonist active with own orchestras since the 20s, and recordings since 1933. Associated with the 40s. He was part of groups with Francisco Pracánico and Osvaldo Fresedo. But he created his own style. He was formally trained.

Tango Musicality/HistoryMakela TangoMay 11, 2020tango musicality, miguelcaloComment

Osvaldo Fresedo - Virtual Class w/Makela 5/3/2020

"I always followed my way: a music with a clean melody, full of shades, well balanced between bandoneons and violins… I want to touch people with the melody, reach their heart, but softly. [...] The first thing I use to do, is to convince each musician until they feel for real what they are going to play." Osvaldo FRESEDO

Enrique Rodríguez- Virtual Class w/Makela 4/26/2020

Bandoneonist, composer and director (he also played violin)

His orchestra followed the influences of Edgardo Donato and Juan D’Arienzo. It was a revolutionary because in his Orchestra of all Rhythms he included all kinds of music:.(fox trox, polkas, valses, tangos, paso dobles and rancheras.)

Tango Musicality/HistoryMakela TangoApril 27, 2020Makela Tangotango musicality, tango, Argentine Tango, makela tangoComment

Edgardo Donato- Virtual Class w/Makela 4/19/2020

Edgardo Donato 4/14/1897-2/15/1963

Real Name: Edgardo Felipe Valerio Donato

Violinist, leader, and composer

Place of birth: Buenos Aires Argentina

Raised in Montevideo, Uruguay

Osvaldo Pugliese - Virtual Class w/Makela 4/12/2020

Real name: Pugliese, Osvaldo Pedro (2 December 1905 - 25 July 1995)

Nickname: El chicharra (cicada) de Villa Crespo

Pianist, conductor, composer. (~450 recordings)

Place of birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tango Musicality/HistoryMakela TangoApril 13, 2020Makela TangoArgentine Tango, tango musicalityComment

Your Tango Music Collection - Part 5 - by Donald Cooper

The orchestra featured in this posting is Enrique Rodriguez y su Orquesta. On the album covers of these CDs you may notice that this orchestra is not identified as “su orquesta tipica”, but instead as “su orquesta”.

Your Tango Music Collection - Part 3 - by Donald Cooper

The next orchestra we suggest adding to your music collection is that of Angel D’Agostino and his singer Angel Vargas, often referred to as The Two Angels.

Tango Musicality/HistoryMakela TangoFebruary 4, 2019Makela TangoArgentine Tango, makela tango, tango musicalityComment

Your Tango Music Collection Part 2 by Donald Cooper

Now that you have some familiarity with the Big Four orchestras you will likely want to experience some of the other major orchestras of the period. Our suggestion (Makela’s and I) is to now become familiar with Miguel Caló and his “Orchestra of the Stars” and his famous singers, Raúl Berón, Alberto Podestá and Jorge Ortiz.

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