Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Tanda of the Week 39 / 2012 -
Pedro Laurenz, Jorge Linares y Carlos Bermúdez

    
 

1. Pedro Laurenz / Jorge Linares - "Esta noche al pasar" 1944
2. Pedro Laurenz / Carlos Bermúdez - "La madrugada" 1944
3. Pedro Laurenz / Carlos Bermúdez - "Me están sobrando las penas" 1944
4. Pedro Laurenz / Jorge Linares - "Naranjo en flor" 1944

When playing tangos from Pedro Laurenz DJs usually resort to the songs with Alberto Podestá. However there were more talented singers in the orchestra, like Jorge Linares and Carlos Bermúdez, all capable of interpeting the unique style of the Laurenz orchestra and some of the most beautiful and melancholic arrangements in an unforgettable way.

Like in many cases with tango music there might be phrases with different moods within a song, where for example the melody of the intro is more lighter but the main part and chorus go a lot more into drama and melancholy, and the same can be said about these songs (maybe apart for "La madrugada" which is more or less melancholic all the way). It's almost like you get in this peaceful romantic mood listening to the intros but then get a quick reminder that after all it is love and at one point you will suffer. Guaranteed.

Enjoy! (While it lasts)

Laurenz, Pedro - TOTW - Todo Tangotango.info - iTunes Store

Monday, September 24, 2012

Tanda of the Week 38 / 2012 -
Osmar Maderna y Pedro Dátila

   
 

1. Osmar Maderna / Pedro Dátila - "Una vez" 1946
2. Osmar Maderna / Pedro Dátila - "Tarde gris" 1946
3. Osmar Maderna / Pedro Dátila - "Al compás de tu mentira" 1950
4. Osmar Maderna / Pedro Dátila - "Rebeldía" 1947

To continue with introducing more orchestras this weeks tanda is from Osmar Maderna with the singer Pedro Dátila. Although Maderna isn't played much in the milongas and the music can be considered too challenging to dance to by some, "The Chopin of Tango" had a great influence in the history of tango music especially as the pianist for Miguel Calo.

Osmar Maderna
Musician, pianist, conductor, composer and arranger
(February 26, 1918 - April 28, 1951)

"A pianist strongly inclined to romanticism, viewed as the Chopin of the tango. His subtle, almost ethereal and suggestive touch, deprived of any emphasis or pomposity, led him to create an orchestral style based on the same pattern. Plain and transparent, his arrangements conceived fancy solos alternating piano, bandoneon and violin. That style of his, born toward 1940, influenced the entire decade and contrasted with both the popular tango (with Juan D´Arienzo as remarkable example) and the academic tango (Aníbal Troilo). His tangos lack any tough or coarse traces but also any symphonic pretension. He preferred to convey a simple emotion and accurate expression, which he achieved through a permanent self-control.... continue reading"

by Julio Nudler, Todo Tango

Maderna, Osmar - TOTW - Todo Tango - tango.info - iTunes Store 

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Tanda of the Week 37 / 2012 -
Orquesta Típica Brunswick

   
 

1. Orquesta Típica Brunswick - "La canción del pirata" 1930
2. Orquesta Típica Brunswick - "Mi pena"1931
3. Orquesta Típica Brunswick - "Fruta prohibida"1931
4. Orquesta Típica Brunswick - "Qué bomboncito" 1930

This weeks guest dj tanda is from Orquesta Típica Brunswick sent to us by Richard Slade. He runs a monthly milonga in the south of England called Menuda Milonga and he describes the tanda as follows: "I've a real fondness for the simplicity of late 20s and early 30s tangos as they have buckets of charm and character. I usually play at least one tanda from the late 20s or very early 30s during the evening. Even though I love the darker, more somber tracks from this period, I adore the cute, upbeat nature of this Brunswick tanda. Especially Que Bonboncito."

Thank you Richard! Here's a link to more songs from Orquesta Típica Brunswick on Spotify.


"From the very beginnings of the recording industry, several ecord companies had their own orchestras or small groups whose only purpose was to cut recordings and, consequently, they made no public appearances. Already in the 10s, a period when, among others, the Orquesta Columbia and the Orquesta Polyphon appeared, this was more or less frequent. In spite of these far distant antecedents, it was in the 20s and 30s when they multiplied and each company launched their aggregations lined up by musicians that also were members of other orchestras of the same label. They only met for recording dates.

The most widely known were, undoubtedly, those formed by the Victor company, which since its succesful Orquesta Típica Victor -with a long and heterogeneous career from 1925 to 1944- produced other "private" orchestras like the Victor Popular, Victor Argentina, Victor de Salón, Victor de la Guardia Vieja, Radio Victor Argentina, etc. Probably more than once the same musicians were gathered under different group names. To look for any of their public performances is a vain effort: they only existed on record.

Between the twenties and the thirties the Brunswick company came to Argentina and the Columbia company returned. These two new labels, ready to vie for the hegemony that Victor and Odeon had in the local market, also introduced their own orchestras. But while the Típica Columbia preferred a varied repertory, which only included tangos from time to time, the Típica Brunswick was more specifically devoted to this rhythm, hence, its big importance for the genre..... continue reading"

- By Héctor Ángel Benedetti, Todo Tango


Orquesta Típica Brunswick - TOTW - Todo Tango - tango.info - iTunes Store

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Tanda of the Week 36 / 2012 - Manuel Buzón


   
 

1. Manuel Buzón / Amadeo Mandarino - "Al verla pasar" 1942
2. Manuel Buzón / Osvaldo Moreno - "Canto al tango"1943
3. Manuel Buzón / Osvaldo Moreno - "Mediodía"1943
4. Manuel Buzón / Amadeo Mandarino - "Fueye" 1942

This weeks guest dj Evaldas Drasutis from Vilnus, Lithuania, serves us with a tanda from Manuel Buzón (December 18, 1904 - July 14, 1954) who was a pianist, singer, leader and composer. Buzon had a long career as an orchestra leader but unfortunately never recorded much. These songs can be found on CD from the Buenos Aires Tango Club and on the History of Tango compilation in Spotify and iTunes.

Buzón, Manuel - TOTW - Todo Tango - tango.info - iTunes Store

Monday, September 3, 2012

Tanda of the Week 35 / 2012 - Fulvio Salamanca

   
 

1. Fulvio Salamanca / Armando Guerrico - "Adiós, corazón" 1957
2. Fulvio Salamanca / Armando Guerrico - "Bomboncito"
3. Fulvio Salamanca / Andrés Peyró, Jorge Garré - "Alma en pena"
4. Fulvio Salamanca / Armando Guerrico - "Hasta siempre, amor"

Fulvio Salamanca
This weeks tanda is from Fulvio Salamanca who was a pianist, leader, arranger and composer
(August 19, 1921 - May 25, 1999). Salamanca played in the D'Arienzo orchestra from 1940 to 1957. This tanda is by Ariel David. Thank you!

"Undoubtedly, Fulvio Salamanca was one of the greatest players of that instrument [piano], but he was as well an excellent leader and arranger that released unforgettable recordings. According to Horacio Ferrer: «His interpretations had the trademark of a peculiar syncopated rhythmical beat and the use of passages in the high and extremely high register for the string section». In fact, he showcased his technical skill and virtuosity, capable of following the rhythmical unrestrained motion of D'Arienzo and adding beauty to it. When he put together his own ensemble he imposed his great personality on it and, without missing his dancing aesthetics, he displays a harmony and a model of orchestration that were a perfect foil for the musicality of the numbers, with strength, but without false stridence."

By Ricardo García Blaya, Todo Tango

Salamanca, Fulvio - TOTW - Todo Tango - tango.info - iTunes Store