Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

Astor Piazzolla
(March 11, 1921 - July 4, 1992)
Astor Piazzolla was a major Argentine composer, bandoneón player, bandleader, and an overall very important figure in the history of tango music. He is famous for fusing tango, jazz, and classical music into one, creating an entirely new sound.

Piazzolla was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina in 1921 to Italian immigrant parents. In 1925 the family relocated to New York City, where Piazzolla became exposed to jazz music at an early age. His father purchased a bandoneón for his 9th birthday, and he eventually became a master of the instrument.

A bandoneón player

In the mid-1930’s, Piazzolla and his family returned to Mar del Plata where his love for tango music peaked. He began to play in tango orchestras, and eventually moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital, at only seventeen years old to continue pursuing his deep love for tango music. In 1939 Piazzolla landed a gig in the Anibal Troilo orchestra, which was a dream of his, and he became an arranger.

Eventually, Piazzolla went on to form his own orchestra upon leaving Troilo. He formed a quintet in 1960 called Quinteto Tango Nuevo and his very first successful commercial hit was titled “Balada Para Un Loco.” He toured all over the world and died in 1992 in Buenos Aires, leaving a legacy in South America’s history of music.

Discography

57 Minutos con la Realidad (Sexteto Nuevo Tango, 1996)
Adiós Nonino (1960)
Astor Piazzolla (Orquesta de Cuerdas, 1957)
Bandoneón Sinfónico (1990)
Buenos Aires (1976)
Central Park Concert (Quinteto, 1987)
Central Park Concert 1987 (Quinteto, 1994)
Chador (1978)
Concerto Para Quinteto (Quinteto, 1971)
Concierto de Nácar – Piazzolla en el Teatro Colón (Conjunto 9 y Orquesta Filarmónica del Teatro Colón, 1983)
Concierto en el Philharmonic Hall de New York (Quinteto, 1965)
Concierto para Bandoneón – Tres Tangos with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Lalo Schifrin (conductor), Princeton University (1987)Sur (soundtrack of film Sur, Quinteto, 1988)
El Exilio de Gardel (soundtrack of film El Exilio de Gardel, Quinteto, 1986)
El Nuevo Tango de Buenos Aires (Quinteto, 1995)
El Nuevo Tango. Piazzolla y Gary Burton (Quinteto, 1986)
El Tango. Jorge Luis Borges – Astor Piazzolla (Orquesta and Quinteto, 1965)
En Persona (recita Horacio Ferrer, Astor Piazzolla, 1971)
Enrico IV (sound track of film Enrico IV, 1984)
Five Tango Sensations (Astor Piazzolla and the Kronos Quartet, 1991)
Green Studio (1984)
Hommage a Liege: Concierto para bandoneón y guitarra/Historia del Tango (1988)
Il Pleut Sur Santiago (Orquesta, 1976)
ION Studios (1968)
La Bicicleta Blanca (Amelita Baltar y Orquesta, 1971)
La Camorra (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1989)
La Guardia Vieja (1966)
La Historia del Tango. Época Romántica (Orquesta, 1967)
La Historia del Tango. La Guardia Vieja (Orquesta, 1967)
Lausanne Concert (Sexteto Nuevo Tango, 1989)
Lausanne Concert (Sexteto Nuevo Tango, 1993)
Libertango (Orquesta, 1974)
Live at the BBC (Sexteto Nuevo Tango, 1989)
Live in Colonia (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1984)
Live in Wien Vol.1 (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1984)
Lo Que Vendrá (Orquesta de Cuerdas and Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1979)
Luna. Live in Amsterdam (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1989)
María de Buenos Aires (Orquesta, 1968)
Montreal Jazz Festival (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1984)
Música Popular Contemporánea de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Vol.1 & 2 (Conjunto 9, 1972)
Nuestro Tiempo (canta Hector de Rosas, Quinteto, 1962)
Oblivion (Orquesta, 1982)
Octeto Buenos Aires (Octeto Buenos Aires, 1957)
Original Tangos from Argentina (1992)
Original Tangos from Argentina Vol. 1 & 2 (solo bandoneón, 1970)
Piazzolla … O No? (canta Nelly Vazquez, Quinteto, 1961)
Piazzolla & El Conjunto Electrónico (Conjunto Electrónico, 1976)
Piazzolla and Amelita Baltar (1974)
Piazzolla en el Olimpia de Paris (Conjunto Electrónico, 1977)
Piazzolla En El Regina (Quinteto, 1970)
Piazzolla Interpreta A Piazzolla (Quinteto, 1961)
Piazzolla-Goyeneche En Vivo, Teatro Regina (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1982)
Piazzolla-Troilo (Dúo de Bandoneones, 1970)
Pulsación (Orquesta, 1970)
Roma (Conjunto 9, 1972)
Sinfonía de Tango (Orquesta de Cuerdas, 1955)
Suite Punta Del Este (Quinteto, 1982)
Suite Troileana-Lumiere (Orquesta, 1975)
Summit (Reunión Cumbre) (with Gerry Mulligan, Orquesta, 1974)
SWF Rundfunkorchester (1983)
Tango Contemporáneo (Nuevo Octeto, 1963)
Tango in Hi-Fi (Orquesta de Cuerdas, 1957)
Tango Para Una Cuidad (canta Héctor De Rosas, Quinteto, 1963)
Tango progresivo (Buenos Aires Octeto, 1957)
Tango: Zero Hour (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1986)
Teatro Nazionale di Milano (1984)
The Rough Dancer and the Cyclical Night (Tango apasionado) (1991)
Tres Minutos con la Realidad (Sexteto Nuevo Tango, 1997)
Tristezas de un Doble A (Quinteto Tango Nuevo, 1987)
Two Argentinians in Paris (with Lalo Schifrin, 1955)

Bibliography

"Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jun 23 2013, 11:08 http://www.biography.com/people/astor-piazzolla-40631.

“Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution.” 2002. Piazzolla.org. June 23 2013. 10:24 http://www.piazzolla.org/biography/biography-english.html

“Complete Discography of Astor Piazzolla.” 2004. ABC Tango website. June 26 2013. http://www.abctango.com/sigloxxi/discografia.php