Astor Piazzolla - Virtual Class 8/23/2020 by Makela Tango

Timeline

1921 - Astor Piazzolla is born

1938-1944 Played with Troilo

1944-1946 Played with Fiorentino orchestra

1946-1956 His own orquesta típica 

1954 Went to Paris with a fellowship

1955 Octeto Buenos Aires and Orquesta de cuerdas (String Orchestra)

1958 Disbanded, back to NYC. Jazz Tango Quintet (2 recordings)

1959 Adios Nonino - in homage to his father

1960 QUINTETO (the most important group)

1966 Left First wife Dedé . Writes opera María de Buenos Aires with Horacio Ferrer.

1968 Debut of María de Buenos Aires with Amelita Baltar

1968 Relationship with Amelita Baltar

1969 Balada para un loco (Lyrics by Ferrer) sung by Amelita Baltar

1970 Back to Paris

1970 Quinteto at Teatro Regina: Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas

1970 Back to B.A. Conjunto 9 (a.k.a. Nonet) - chamber music

1972 Conjunto 9 dissolved. 1st concert at Teatro Colón

1974 Astor Piazzolla works with Gerry Mulligan in Italy

1973 Heart Attack

1974 He is offered by Aldo Pagani a 15 year contract in Roma to record anything he wanted 

1974 LIBERTANGO

1974 Separated from Amelita Baltar

1975 Electronic Octet SUITE TROILEANA in homage to Aníbal Troilo

1976 Teatro Grand Rex

1978 Second Quintet Tour for 11 years - writes chamber music and symphonic work

1986 Music for movie El exilio de Gardel

1988 Music for movie Sur - marries Laura Escalada

1989 Sexteto Nuevo Tango (his last ensemble) Concert with Osvaldo Pugliese Orchestra and his Sexteto.

1990 Paris - cerebral hemorrhage - coma

July 4th, 1992 he dies.

His words

I left the orchestra around 1949 - I had an attack of erudite music - and it was then when Piazzolla erudite was born. I composed symphonic music, chamber music. The orchestra of Bruno Bandini of Radio Del Estado plays everything I wrote, everybody plays my music, so I start feeling superior. I don’t want to go back to tango. But I needed to pay bills and I created arrangements for Troilo, Pugliese, Fresedo.

1953 My maestro Ginastera suggested to enter to a competition to learn in France with Nadia Boulanger. I won. I felt I was Beethoven. France gave me a fellowship to study with Nadia Boulanger.  I learned everything I know. I discovered Piazzolla thru her. When I played Triunfal she took my hands and told me “this is you” (…) what I do is TANGO. You can find Gobbi, De Caro in my music.

My favorite pieces

Adiós Nonino, 1959

Triunfal

Lo que vendrá

Libertango, 1974

Milonga triste

Tango apasionado

Balada para un loco, 1969, Amelita Baltar

Chiquilín de Bachín, 1969, Amelita Baltar

4 estaciones porteñas

Soledad

Check spotify @makelatango playlist to find more tangos of Astor Piazzolla.