Re: [TANGO-L] Community Growth - The Next Generation

[Tom Stermitz <Stermitz @RAGTIME.ORG>]

Rick:
>  >Clear Beat for dancing
>  >Modern Tango

Stephen:
>Pugliese, Piazzolla and Salgan introduced progressive sensibilities into
>tango in which the drama was heightened through pauses and, in some cases,
>tempo changes.  With Pugliese's orchestra, the transitions were used more
>sparingly and in contrast with a strong marcato rhythm.  By contrast,
>smaller orchestras--such as Piazzolla's and the contemporary orchestras
>who follow his example--rely heavily on abrupt tempo changes and rubato
>playing to create their dramatic effects.  The smaller orchestras may have
>taken this approach because they lack enough members to produce drama
>through the sophisticated instrumental coloring used by larger golden-age
>orchestras.


I was someone who always liked strange foreign music, yet I have to
confess that it took me a long time to "feel" tango. I remember
clearly the moment I stepped out of the Ideal halfway my first trip
to Buenos Aires. There was a roaring in my mind (my veins?) as the
drug of tango took hold.


One of the problems in this discussion is that we are talking the
difference between apples and oranges.

Rick clearly likes the the BIG DRAMA and ENERGY of modern tangos. He
doesn't hear that in the older music. Traditional tango dancers love
the subtle RHYTHMIC COMPLEXITY and PLAYFULNESS of older tango music,
which just doesn't appeal to Rick. The big energy of modern tango is
oppressive, and takes away our freedom to play and interpret.

Rick is absolutely free to dance the way he wants, but he errs when
he suggests that the golden era dancers and DJs should change to
satisfy his personal preference.

Rick is correct when he points out that modern ears find the newer
music easier to hear. Educating new dancers in the rhythms and music
is an essential aspect of teaching people how to dance.

The main issue is one of musical and dance sensibilities, not some
flaw in the older music like "lack of a clear beat" or "poor
recording fidelity".


What is the big difference?

Modern tango music has had a lot of influence from Jazz and Classical
music. The orchestras play primarily for audiences, not dancers.
Tempo, drama and emotional contrasts abound within one piece. The
sound is BIGGER. An instrument may have a complex part, something the
musicians love. Solo singers take stage front and are given freedom
to interpret while the orchestra follows the singer.

All this makes for a more "obvious" interpretation. You pretty much
have ONE way to interpret the music. Big movement here, quiet
movement there, fast phrase, slow and dense next phrase... It is
probably "easier" for a modern newcomer to tango to hear the music
and the beat when it is more obvious.

Stage dancers love the BIGNESS of modern tango. It makes the "story"
more clear for an audience. Adios Nonino is very compelling to our
ears, but it is a great dancer who can rise to fulfill the emotional
content of that piece.


Golden era tangos arranged with the dancers in mind don't put one
dramatic line up front. The rhythms, melody and harmonies trade off
between the instruments. The orchestra works together as a whole, not
as backup to a soloist. The singer is "just" another instrument, and
never takes over to dominate.

This gives the dancer a freer and more "subtle" experience. You have
multiple ways to interpret the same music. The dancers become an
integral PART of the orchestra, interpreters with their own voice.

I prefer the rhythmic playfulness and freedom of the older tangos.


Pugliese is so interesting because he arranged a lot of music in a
bigger way, with lots of dramatic and temp contrasts without leaving
the dancers behind.

Piazzolla is so difficult because the near constant 3-3-2 doesn't
permit much rhythmic freedom.


Missing Drums.

The other reason tango music is difficult for modern ears is that the
beat is not normally marked by drums. The beat and rhythms are
interpreted by the musical instruments.

But there are drummers in tango: the DANCERS!

If you think of your feet as the missing drums, it allows you a great
range of rhythmic interpretation. You can fill in the missing
half-beat in Di Sarli, you can choose to mark the 3-3-2 in Troilo or
stick with the underlying 4-4. The follower and leader might be
marking different beats. Even more interesting, the follower might
start suggesting rhythms back to the leader and we get a very playful
conversation.


I find modern tangos more oppressive to me as a dancer precisely
because the clarity in beat, drama and emotion are so compelling.
This makes me feel like a slave to the orchestra's interpretation.
"Libertango" vs "Azabache". The beat of the first is constant and
insistent "You must do it THIS way!"; the second is so free and
playful.



This is what teachers and DJs do, or should do.


--

Tom Stermitz
http://www.tango.org/
stermitz @tango.org
303-388-2560

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