Happy Bandoneon Day!
Today, July 11th, was established as National Bandoneon Day in Argentina by Law No. 26.035 in 2005.
This date commemorates the birth of musician Aníbal Troilo, recognized as one of the masters of the bandoneon and a prominent figure in the history of Argentine tango.
If you don't have time to read everything right now, skip to the end and take away a valuable reflection for dancing.
Aníbal Troilo, also known as "Pichuco," was born on July 11, 1914, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was an outstanding bandoneon player, orchestra leader, and tango composer. His unique style and virtuosity on the bandoneon made him an emblematic figure of the genre.
Throughout his career, he led different orchestras and collaborated with renowned tango musicians and composers. His playing style was characterized by his sensitivity, expressiveness, and ability to convey a range of emotions.
As a composer, Troilo created a vast number of essential works. Some of his most notable titles include “Toda mi vida,” “Barrio de tango,” “Pa' que bailen los muchachos,” “Garúa,” “María,” “Sur,” “Romance de barrio,” “Che bandoneón,” “Discepolín,” “Responso,” “Patio mío,” “Una canción,” “La cantina,” “Desencuentro,” and “La última curda”…
“Che Bandoneón” is one of his most popular tangos, with lyrics by Homero Manzi. In its verses, you can perfectly feel what the bandoneón conveys. Here are some passages that so precisely capture the sentiment they describe, and don't miss the video to listen to it: https://youtu.be/7zfIfvfJdK8?si=EYgP5EvvlZ9T8RvO
The spirit of your sound, che bandoneón, takes pity on the pain of others, and when you squeeze your sleepy bellows, it draws near to the heart that suffers the most.
.....
Your song is the love that never was and the sky we once dreamed of, and the fraternal friend who sank struggling in the storm of a love.
Here is the video of one of the tangos that Anibal Troilo immortalized in history with his masterful interpretation: “Quejas de bandoneon,” a tango by Una de Dios Filiberto.
The video is an excerpt from the movie “Esta es mi Argentina” from 1974.
Pay close attention to Troilo's solo at minute 1:09.
There you can clearly see the look and expression that characterized him when playing.
If you can, here are two excellent documentaries to watch, one about Anibal Troilo and another about the bandoneon. The latter was recently made by the “American Tango Society” and filmed at the Salon Marabu, which has magnificently reopened its doors to tango after being restructured. If you go to Buenos Aires, you can't miss it. There are milongas, shows, etc…
Documentary “Soy del Pueblo: Anibal Troilo” https://youtu.be/-8Bj4xEoImQ?si=t8q0-Wbqw_S8lmiK
Bandoneon EL ALMA DEL TANGO Documentary (with English subtitles)
Another must-see video of Troilo and one of his compositions: “La Cantina” sung by Jorge Casal, where we see Anibal Troilo conducting beside him.
Here is the video of the famous recitation by Anibal Troilo, in a video where you can see him reciting his own piece…”Nocturno a mi barrio”
https://youtu.be/xL0xTJRwzTA?si=iMrC0egGH33B-VZs (he recites at minute 2:40)
This recitation is really touching, especially for those of us who had to leave our neighborhood, our town, our country. For those who left but are always returning… not so much physically but with our hearts, thoughts, and daily lives, we are always coming back…
Here are the lyrics:
My neighborhood was like this, like this, like this.
That is to say, what do I know if it was like this?
But I remember it like this!
With Giacumin, the coalman from the corner,
Who had the burners full of soot,
And who always played as left-wing "jas" beside me,
Always, always, perhaps to be closer to my heart!
Someone once said
That I left my neighborhood,
When? ...but when?
If I'm always arriving!
And if I once forgot,
The stars from the corner of my mother's house
Twinkling like friendly hands,
Told me: Gordo, gordo, stay here,
Stay here.
Then if you have some time, here are some videos of me singing in duet with bandoneon:
Duet with Patricio Bonfiglio (who lives in Paris), director of the Tango Orchestra "De Leones" and the Sindicato Milonguero:
Duet with Carlos Costa, director of the folk orchestra of Posadas Misiones, with whom I had the luck to sing on various occasions while we lived in Posadas. Great musician and excellent person, with a great career in tango.
Here in duet with some videos of the Tangos written by Troilo:
Playlist of various videos singing where you can find more videos with Carlos Costa.
To close these lines, I leave you with a reflection to remember when you go dancing:
Just as the bandoneon fills with air to produce sound
So do we fill ourselves to produce dance. (Oscar Mandagaran)
HUG
BREATHE
CONNECT
LISTEN
FEEL
AND THEN DANCE
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