Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
Biography:
Astor Piazzolla was born on March 11, 1921 in Mar de Plata, Argentina. Piazzolla was a composer and a bandoneón player (a big instrument that looks like the accordion). He moved to New York with his family in 1924 where his talents began to thrive. When he was eight-years-old, Piazzolla's got a bandoneón from his father as a gift, which he studied for a year with Andres Daquila; he then went on to make his first record. In 1933, Piazzolla studied with Bela Wilda, a Hungarian pianist; Piazzolla claims that it was with him that he learned to love Bach. In 1936, he returned to Mar del Plata for good with his family where he began to play in tango orchestras. After this, Piazzolla got acquainted with Elvino Vardardo's sexten on the radio and not only that, this was when he fell in love with tango.
Piazzolla became famous for his brand of tango called “tango nuevo,” which is a blend of traditional Argentinian tango, classic music and jazz. He was even considered a savior of tango in his own country because, at the time, tango was starting to die down in Argentina. Some of his famous works, which were made for the concert stage and not the dance floor, include Buenos Aires (1951), The Four Seasons (1964-70), Summit (1974) and Le Grand Tango (1982).
Discography:
v Adios Nonino (1972), Brazil, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo). Company: Som Livre.
v Balada para un loco (1976), France, Tango/vocal. Astor Piazzolla (orchestra). Company: Coco Records.
v El Nuevo Tango (1989) Switzerland, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (quintet) recorded live in Switzerland (1986). Company: WEA.
v El Tango (1965) Argentina, Tango. Astor Piazzolla and Jorge luis Borges (orchestra). Company: Polydor.
v Five Tango Sensations (1991) Germany, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (Kronos Quartet). Company: Elektra, Nonesuch.
v La Camorra: la soledad de la provocación apasionada (1989), Germany, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo). Company: American Clavé.
v Libertango (1974), Italy, Contemporary Jazz and Tango, Astor Piazzolla. Producer: Aldo Pagani. Company: Polydor.
v Lumiere (1976), France,Tango, Astor Piazzolla. Company: Polydor.
v Luna (1992) Europe, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (sex-tet) live recording in in Amsterdam (1989). Company: Hemisphere.
v Maria de Buenos Aires (1968), Argentina, Tango, Astor Piazzolla and Horacio Ferrer. Componay: Harmony.
v Nuestro Tiempo (1962), Argentina, Tango, Astor Piazolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo). Company: Tova.
v Olympia 77 (1977), France, tango/contemporary jazz. Astor Piazzolla (orchestra). Company: Polydor.
v Piazzolla de Buenos Aires (1975), Argentina, Tango. Astor Piazzolla
v Summit (1974), Italy, Tango, Astor Piazzolla and Gerry Mulligan (orchestra). Company: Erre T.V
v Sur (1988), France, soundtrack/tango. Astor Piazzolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo)
v Tango Nuevo (1975), Germany, Tango, Astor Piazzolla and Gerry Mulligan (orchestra). Company: Atlantic.
v Tango para una cuidad (1963) Argentina, Tango. Astor Piazolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo). Company: Harmony.
v The Central Park Concert (1987) USA, Tango. Astor Piazzolla (Quintet Tango Nuevo) live recording. Company: Chesky.
Discography can be found on: http://soundsofargentina.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/astor-piazzolla- 1921-1992/
Bibliography:
"Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2013): 1. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Web. 27 Sept. 2013.
"Astor Piazzolla (1921 –1992) | soundsofargentina." Soundsofargentina | Art Music of Argentina. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://soundsofargentina.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/astor-piazzolla-1921-1992/>.
"Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution." Piazzolla.org Home Page: Astor Piazzolla and his Tango Nuevo (in English). N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://www.piazzolla.org/biography/biography-english.html>.
"Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution." Piazzolla.org Home Page: Astor Piazzolla and his Tango Nuevo (in English). N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Oct. 2013. <http://www.piazzolla.org/biography/biography-english.html>.
Cliff Eisen. "Piazzolla, Astor." Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 27 Sep. 2013. <http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/45192>.
