Nadia Boulanger, a world-renowned pedagogue, convinced Ástor Piazzolla to stay true to his Argentine-rooted style and dedicate himself to Nuevo Tango, rather than pursuing a classical composer's career.
Compositional Technique
Ástor Piazzolla's Nuevo Tango style incorporates traditional and complex contrapuntal techniques from classical music, angular jazz elements, gritty urban sounds, and melodic material reminiscent of Puccini's operas.
Composer Biography
Ástor Piazzolla, the composer, spent much of his childhood in New York, where he learned bandoneón, absorbed jazz, and Klezmer rhythms, and was influenced by composers from Bach to Bartók.
Performer Biography
Elmira Darvarova, the violinist on this album, was the first and only female concertmaster in the history of the Metropolitan Opera.
Cultural Impact
Ástor Piazzolla's innovations in Nuevo Tango were met with criticism in his homeland but were embraced by audiences in Europe and America, popularizing his compositions as classical chamber music.
Recording & Production
George Vassilev, the guitarist on this album, also produced, engineered, edited, mixed, and mastered this CD.
