Tango is a musical and dance genre native to Argentina and Uruguay.
Tango is a musical genre and dance from the River Plate , popular in the urban areas of Argentina and Uruguay . Its musical form is binary ( theme and chorus) and has a two-by-four time signature.
On a musical level, tango is usually performed by a typical orchestra or sextet with instruments such as the bandoneon , piano, violin, guitar and double bass. As for the lyrics, they are usually based on lunfardo (the River Plate slang ) and express heartbreak or political grievances. Enrique Santos Discépolo (1901-1951), Francisco Canaro (1888-1964), Osvaldo Pugliese (1905-1995), Cátulo Castillo (1906-1975), Edmundo Rivero (1911-1986), Aníbal Troilo (1914-1975), Mariano Mores (1918) and Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) are some of the main tango composers .
Among tango singers, Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) stands out, the greatest symbol of the genre . It is still disputed whether he was born in France or Uruguay , although he lived in Argentina since his childhood and died in a plane accident in Colombia . His artistic contribution exceeded the limits of music, as he also acted in several films and found success in Hollywood .
Alberto Castillo (1914-2002), Tita Merello (1904-2002), Roberto Goyeneche (1926-1994), Cacho Castaña (1942) and Adriana Varela (1952) are other very popular tango singers.
tango vocal technique
The vocal technique necessary to sing tango is somewhat particular: it could be said that it is located somewhere in the middle between those used in popular and lyrical music. Although there have been many great performers who did not polish their talents, the demands have grown in recent decades and it is rare for a current artist not to have academic training.
Unlike opera , there are no restrictions on the key in which a tango should be performed; Likewise, most pieces can be sung by men and women interchangeably. It is possible to appreciate the variety of contributions that arises from such freedom when comparing different versions of the same tango; When listening to Julio Sosa , Carlos Gardel and Roberto Goyeneche , for example, very diverse nuances are perceived, both in the color and tessitura of each voice and in the interpretation.
The myth of Carlos Gardel is equivalent to that of personalities such as María Callas and Barbra Streisand , who enjoyed an unusual voice, in combination with an interpretive power capable of moving the masses. Attention should not rest on his vocal technique, although in the case of Gardel it is admirable, but on the beauty that emanates from his vocal cords, on the intensity of the feelings that he paints in the air with his notes transcending culture , taste. and time.
The tango dance became popular worldwide.
The dance
As for the dance , it is a choreographic dance that develops from the couple's embrace. It is a sensual dance that, at the beginning of the 20th century , was practiced only in nightclubs, since it was prohibited for inciting lust. There are multiple tango steps that make it a very complex dance and not suitable for beginners.
Curiously, tango seems to be more appreciated in countries like Japan and England than in Argentina . It is possible to take dance lessons almost anywhere in the world, with teachers of various nationalities; There are also tango competitions that bring together international dancers every year. This phenomenon is not massive nor does it have the attention from the media that breakdancing does, but both are equally fascinating.
Tango, opera and hip-hop represent three of the musical genres with the most impact internationally and in all cases it is demonstrated that the true spirit of music does not pay attention to linguistic or cultural issues; When you notice the passion of a person who dedicates his entire life to perfecting an art, his phonetics or his level of knowledge of foreign history matters little.