Piazzolla aimed to evolve the tango into a more profoundly expressive form, where the music was 'for the ear as well as for the feet,' an idea initially met with resistance.
Composition History
Piazzolla's teacher, Nadia Boulanger, encouraged him to develop his artistic vision through the tango rather than focusing on progressive European genres.
Composer Biography
Astor Piazzolla, born in Argentina, emigrated to New York in 1924 and became a child prodigy on the bandoneón, a type of button accordion popular in Argentinian tango orchestras.
Performer Biography
The Quintetto d'Ottoni e Percussioni della Toscana is composed of principal brass and percussion players from major Italian orchestras and teachers at Italian Conservatories.
Compositional Technique
Piazzolla's prolific compositions, numbering around 750, blend European traditions, jazz, and popular elements while maintaining an essential Argentinian identity.
Critical Reception
By the 1980s, Piazzolla's music gained worldwide fame and acceptance in his native Argentina, where his progressive tango concepts had initially been resisted.
Instruments
Andrea Tacchi, the guest violinist on this album, plays an instrument made by Antonio Gragnani, dated 1763.
