Piazzolla's life was saved when his father forbade him from joining Carlos Gardel's tour, as Gardel and his orchestra were killed in a plane crash during that tour.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Nadia Boulanger, a legendary composition teacher, advised Piazzolla to embrace his unique tango sound, telling him, 'all your classical pieces are well written, but the true Piazzolla sound is here, never leave him behind'.
Recording & Production
For this album, pianist Jeroen van Veen multitracked himself to play all the extra lines in pieces like the '6 Tangos', resulting in a multi-layered sound.
Composer Biography
Astor Piazzolla, born in Argentina to Italian immigrants, moved to New York in 1925, where he was exposed to classical and jazz music early on.
Album & Artwork
The album's title, 'Para el Ángel', is named after three pieces called 'Ángel' and may also refer to the 'Ángel' who protected Piazzolla from the fatal plane crash.
Compositional Technique
Piazzolla's 'Tango Nuevo' incorporated improvisational freedom for musicians, a concept foreign to traditional tango, and also included percussive effects called 'yeites' from instruments like the violin.
Composer Biography
Piazzolla began playing the bandoneon at age 8 and composed his first tango, 'La Catiga', in 1932.
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