[TANGO-L] Tango Music Theory

[Philip Seyer <philipseyer @ILOVEMUSIC.COM>]

Here is brief discussion of some tango music theory. If you don't know much
about music theory, this may seem a bit dry. But bare with me.  At the end,
here is a link to a cool audio clip I think you will enjoy. In this
discussion I use the word chord a lot. A chord is merely the simultaneous
sounding of 2 or more notes -- usually at least 3 notes.

Tango music invariably ends with a V - I harmonic cadence. V, here
represents the dominant chord, which is always based one a tone that is 5
scale steps up from the tonic (or fundamental tone) of the piece.  The
dominant chord is called that because it grabs our attention and dominates
our listening experience; it makes us beg to hear a resolution or movement
to the tonic chord.

The I chord, as you might guess, is built from the tonic tone. The bass note
in a tango tune will nearly always end with the tonic.

What's interesting is that tango music sometimes unexpectedly switches to a
minor chord at the end, even though the piece as a whole in written in a
major key. So the progression might be indicated as V - i. (The lower case
"i" signifies a minor tonic chord. A minor chord is often perceived as
sounding darker or more meditative than a major chord -- some say sad. [I
won't go into the details of what makes a chord major or minor chord, but
you can explore that, if you like at http://www.ilovemusic.com .] A cool way
to end a tango tune is to delay the final tonic chord (syncopate), and when
you finally play the final chord, play it quite softly as a minor tonic.

By the way, a lot of classical European music does the opposite -- the music
is written in minor, but at the end there is a sudden switch to a major
tonic.

Turns
====
Turns are often used in classical music.  A turn involves playing the notes
above and below a given note (along with the note itself).  Often turns were
not actually notated, but by convention they were improvised by musicans "in
the know."  Today, the art of improvising these turns has been largely lost
as many classical musicians have become a slave to playing only what is
written, not realizing that in the performance practice of the period,
improvisation of turns and other ornaments was the norm.  Tango music makes
uses of turns, too.  Sometimes tango turns are slowed down for a plaintive,
meditative effect.

Suspensions
=========
A suspension in music produces a dissonance (often a bitter-sweet sounding
chord). A suspension occurs when a tone does not move as expected, but is
held over into the following chord.

If you like, you can hear an audio clip and learn how Melbourne composer
Faye Bendrups  uses V-i  progressions, Turns, and Suspensions in her
Argentine tango music. You can find a link to the clip at
http://www.argentine-tango.com (near the bottom of the page.)

You can also hear Faye introduce and sing a tango tune from her new opera!