With its distinctive flair stepping through the halls of Buenos Aires onto the world’s stage, Argentine tango embodies the vibrant colours and rhythms of Argentina, packaged into one innovative music and dance genre.
As Argentina marks the 215th anniversary of the May Revolution on Sunday, May 25th, Diplomatic Network (Asia) celebrates this Argentine national heritage. With tango’s surging popularity across the world, it is worth examining the origins and survival of tango.
Origins of Argentine Tango
Nineteenth-Century Argentina divided dance into two worlds. Among the urban elites, European ballroom dances such as the Viennese Waltz signified the refinement of the Argentine character. Amongst the working class, however, the creation of a new dance culture was brewing. Mixing European sensibilities with Afro-Argentine rhythms, as well as a movement with a fiery passion and flair which European ballrooms would be scandalised by, Argentine tango was born.
Musically, tango reflected the melting pot of immigrant neighbourhoods on multiple levels. The signature habanera rhythms embedded in tango’s music drive the dance forward. These rhythms reflect an Afro-Latin character, and similar rhythms can be found across the Latin American world.
Additionally, the signature instrument found in tango music is the bandoneon. Originating from Germany as the creation of instrument inventor Heinrich Band, the bandoneon at first glance is alike in size and appearance to the more popular accordion. However, the bandoneon lacks piano keys on one side, with both sides using a button layout. Additionally, its distinctive nasal sound suits the dramatic yet melancholic character of tango dancing.
Despite the initial class prejudice associated with tango, the rise of Argentine nationalism in the early Twentieth Century led to increasing approval of tango as an inseparable part of the Argentine identity. By the mid-century, tango was no longer frowned upon by Argentine high society, but rather was adopted as a national symbol of the nation. Gone were the days of backroom dancing; tango music was now performed in orchestral halls to great fanfare.
Notable Composers of Tango
Tango musicians are amongst some of Argentina’s most revered national icons, with many of their melodies emerging as popular pieces for international audiences.
Carlos Gardel, whose career was tragically cut short by an early death, arguably wrote the most iconic tango piece, Por una Cabeza, with lyrics that capture the emotional turmoil of gambling on horse races. It is a composition so recognisable that it has been used in multiple films, including Mission: Impossible 2, Schindler’s List, Scent of a Woman, and many more big-budget productions.
Argentine tango underwent a transformation with its elevation to orchestral halls in the mid-Twentieth-Century. Nuevo tango was a subgenre that used the opportunities afforded by large orchestras to create more creative and innovative music, often incorporating other influences such as jazz and electronic instruments.
Astor Piazzolla led the nuevo tango movement by composing works of greater complexity with a dynamic emotional character. For his elevation of tango into high art, Piazzolla was showered with international success, and remains to this day the most recognisable figure behind tango music.
Like Gardel, Piazzolla has also been quoted in multiple films, including Frida and Twelve Monkeys. His most famous piece remains Libertango.
Diplomatic Network (Asia) wishes Argentina a happy patriotic holiday! ¡Feliz Día de la Patria!
