Contents
Astor Piazzolla
Creating nuevo tango by bringing jazz and classical ideas into Argentine tango.
Adiós Nonino · Libertango
- Born
- 11 March 1921
- Birthplace
- Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Died
- 4 July 1992
More people
Astor Piazzolla
Astor Piazzolla was an Argentine composer and bandoneon player whose music challenged traditional tango conventions. He wrote for small ensembles, orchestras and the concert stage.
Early life
New York childhood
Moved to New York with his family and heard tango records alongside jazz and classical music.
Bandoneon beginnings
Received a bandoneon from his father and studied music while still a child.
Career
- 1939
Troilo’s orchestra
Joined Aníbal Troilo’s tango orchestra in Buenos Aires as a bandoneon player and arranger.
- 1954–1955
Paris and a new direction
Studied with Nadia Boulanger, then returned to Argentina and formed the Octeto Buenos Aires.
- 1960s–1980s
Nuevo tango ensembles
Led groups and toured internationally, refining a style intended for concentrated listening as well as performance.
Selected work
Adiós Nonino
A composition written in memory of his father.
Libertango
A compact, rhythmically insistent work associated with his modern tango style.
Oblivion
A lyrical piece that became one of his most widely performed compositions.
Beyond work
Italian family roots
Both sides of his family had emigrated from Italy to Argentina.
A father’s influence
His father introduced him to tango records and gave him the instrument that shaped his career.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: See source. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
