The Tango-L mailing list archive
Digest from 15 Sep 2000
to 16 Sep 2000
Reply-To: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
To: Recipients of TANGO-L digests <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 03:01:27 -0400
Sender: Discussion of Any Aspect of the Argentine Tango <TANGO-L @MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
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Subject: TANGO-L Digest - 15 Sep 2000 to 16 Sep 2000 (#2000-250)
There are 4 messages totalling 172 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Brass bands
2. Will the tango competition be part
3. tango teenegers
4. What was it like in the golden age. Argentinean customs.
Date: Sat, 16 Sep 2000 00:37:26 +0900
From: astrid <astrid @RUBY.PLALA.OR.JP>
Subject: Re: Brass bands
I do know that tango's most famous song "La Cumparsita" was
> originally written for a marching brass band. (If you imagine the melody
done
> by horns, it makes perfectly good sense). Roberto Firpo heard the song and
> convinced the composer, Matos-Rodriguez to transpose it for a tango
ensemble.
> As they say, the rest is history. It was eventually recorded by Firpo and
as
> far as I know that is the original version.
> Anyone else have any other information about this?
> Cheers
> Charles
For those of you who can read Spanish I recommend you read
EL TANGO
una guia definitiva
by Horacio Salas
Aguilar, Buenos Aires 1996
It is an encyclopedia on tango by H. Salas who is the president of the
research institute for tango history or the society for the preservation of
lunfardo or something similar. You will soon find out that I warped history
a bit to serve my purpose, and anything else you might want to know about
tango music, composers, dancers...
Let me just quote what my girlfriend said when asked how she gets into the
right mood for tango: "I just imagine I am an Argentine prostitute in
fishnet stockings." ; )
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 18:27:31 -0400
From: Melinda Bates <tangerauna @EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Will the tango competition be part
of this broadcast?
The IDSF 2000 World Latin DanceSport Championships are scheduled to be
shown on nation-wide television by the A & E Network at 9PM to 11PM on
October 28th, 2000.
LIST of TV dance programs for the week can be found at
http://dcdancenet.com/specials/tvandmovies.html
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 15:31:28 -0400
From: JORGE NEL Giraldo <arrabalero @EMAIL.COM>
Subject: tango teenegers
The tango community in Miami should feel very proud of the extraordinary
representation. It had at the second world argentine tango championship that
took place on Friday the 8TH at the Fountain Blue Hilton Hotel.
There were talented couples from all over the world competing in the event.
Carlos Gavito and Marcela Duran form Argentina were the well-deserved winner
of the first place. They are world-famous dancers from the succesfull show
Forever Tango as well as other acclaim shows.
Congratulation to Gavito and Marcela!
Second place went to Christian Camacho and Monica Llobet and third place to
Diego Blanco and Ana Padron, both teenagers' couples representing U.S.A.
Their performances were outstanding and we all congratulate them for their
achievements. We are truly proud of them.
Diego and Ana studied and learned their style with Jorge Nell Giraldo the
pioneer of tango in Florida; Diego started at the young age of ten.
Christian also studied stage technique and choreography under Jorge Nell.
Last year, he won their place at the first argentine tango championship with
his then dancing partner Lorena Quintana, fourteen years old and who also
studied with Jorge Nell. We should all admire and appreciate these young
talented dancers for their perseverance and determination for helping keep
the Tango alive. They are truly authentic tangueros; they dance not only
with their feet but also with their heart and souls. You can find them at
any milonga in Miami living their own tango dream. Bravo! To Christian and
Monica and to Diego and Ana.
FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com
Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 20:14:05 -0400
From: SERGIO <SERGIO @NCINTER.NET>
Subject: What was it like in the golden age. Argentinean customs.
Barbara wrote: " And that during the Golden Age of Tango, the '40s it was
common that
> milongas had 2 live orchestras, tango and swing (called Tipica y Jazz),
which
> alternated, probably about equally, during the evening until dawn."
David Shmitz asks several questions that I will try to answer.
The information came to me from my grand parents, my parents and many of
their friends.
As Barbara explained most clubs in Buenos Aires had two live orchestras,
tango and jazz.
People were attracted to a particular club mostly by the orchestras of their
preference.
The dance was usually started and finished with a Paso Doble, (a ball room
dance from Spain very popular in the Spanish World even today), few clubs
used a vals instead.
The bands alternated playing three pieces of music each. It could be three
tangos and then two swings and one fox-trot;
the tango orchestra (tipica) could include every so often a milonga or a
vals.
Men arrived at the dance and observed the ladies, the selection was done on
the basis of dancing skill and attractiveness. The custom until the late
forties? early fifties? was to walk to the table and ask the lady for a
dance.
The question was Baila? or Bailamos? Me permite...? Do you dance? Shall we
dance? Will you permit...?
They danced individual pieces of music, some conversation took place while
dancing or when walking the lady back to her table. If there was the right
chemistry the man would try to continue asking for more individual dances.
The lady could reject the invitation with a "Lo siento pero estoy cansada",
"I am sorry but I am tired".
After rejecting a request to dance the lady had to sit for at least one or
more dances before she could accept a different invitation.
The pieces were not announced. There was a little interval between every
piece but the music was continuous.
There were only two orchestras playing one Tipica and one Jazz. People did
not wander from club to club. They usually followed the orchestra of their
preference to different clubs where they were playing but not on the same
night.
Some clubs could have one orchestra playing during the first part of the
night and another playing the second part but this was not common.
The milonga was intended primarily for dancing. Socialization was very
limited. If the man was interested in a particular girl he could ask
permission to walk with her back home. The returning home usually was
totally or in part walking as a group. The girl, her brother, her friends,
her grand mother could be a typical group. The man would talk to her,
walking a few steps ahead and would ask for another date before departing.
The question was " Podriamos vernos otra vez?" Could we see each other on
another occasion? - If accepted the place for another encounter was always a
public one, a park, a square, a particular corner. The conversation took
place while walking by her as she returned home from school, from work or
from a scheduled activity. After a few such dates they could sit at the
bench in the park to talk. Touching her hand or kissing her usually took
several dates, eventually you could ask permission to visit her at home if
you thought you wanted to marry her.
But this is another story.:)
This customs were still prevalent till the seventies or later. They created
a beautiful and romantic atmosphere which I had the chance to experiment.
She was in your mind as much as you were in hers; that little encounter to
talk meant so much that you could hardly wait for the right time to arrive.
In certain ways -"Todo tiempo pasado fue mejor" - Everything in the past was
better.
End of TANGO-L Digest - 15 Sep 2000 to 16 Sep 2000 (#2000-250)
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