Astor piazzolla

[JeffD]

I love to listen to the music of Astor Piazzolla, and serious tango music in general. Is there any written specifically for mandolin?

I have seen some Astor Piazzolla sheet music and tune books for violin, and I thought I would give 'em a try. It looks pretty intimidating I have to admit.

[Ali]

Hi,
The Histoire de Tango is published for flute (or violin) and guitra and is widely played amongst mandolin players. Its tricky but very playable. Libertango is a great piece which is published in several formats including for flute and guitar - again transcribes very well direct from flute part for mandolin. There are probably quite a few other arrangements of some of his more famous pieces for either violin and guitar or flute and guitar which would be worth trying. There are also several arrangements of works for 2 guitars which would probably be playable with a bit of tweaking on mandolin and guitar. Duo Capriccioso recored the Tango suite (more commonly heard on 2 guitars) a while back. If you like Piazzolla you should check out the Suite Buenos Aires by Pujol - again not originally got mandolin and guitar (for flute and guitar or perhaps violin I think) but works fantastically for mandolin and guitar.
Ali

[oggiesnr]

Hi there

Try this as a resource for tango TodoTango (http://www.todotango.com/english/main.html) #There's 14 Piazzolla scores in the library section plus enough Tango material for you never to complete your way through the site.

Transcriptions are strange beasties and I find that many that are scored for one instrument don't really transfer as well as they might.

My personal approach is to work out my own. #Start by listening to the piece with the score, work out for you what is the important part (and within the compass of your instrument, a bandoneon covers 5 octaves) and I then use a highlighter to mark those notes that I will play. #I have three on the go at the moment but I'm not yet fully happy with them (or I'm getting better on mando so can play more). #I will eventually post them but it may be a while as this is my busy season workwise.

All the best

Steve

[entau]

i have a recording of "Buenos Aries" as well as "Adios Nonino" with guitar and mandolin I forget who the artist is- I will say the arrangments are very "bare bone" but do convey the spirit of nuevo tango -

The Modern Mandolin Quartet does a wonderful job of "4 for Tango" on thier PanAmerican Journey's recording

the bandoneon - being very melodic - one would assume the tunes would work well on mandolin - the rest of what Piazzolla has going on is the hard part

[JeffD]

Thanks all.

Working it out on my own is a torturous process for me - but it may be what I have to do.


I just copied this history from a free reed web site.


"It was Piazzolla's dream to create a tango that would not only be dance music but concert music as well. 'For me,' Piazzolla said, 'the tango was always for the ear rather than the feet.' The results were as audacious and innovative as they were outrageous to prevailing trends. For in Argentina, you don't mess with the tango and go away unscathed. As a beloved music that helped to define a largely immigrant people, to give them a newfound identity in rough times, messing with the tango was messing with the fledgling national character."

Seligman continued, "So when Piazzolla returned to Buenos Aires from trips abroad, taxi drivers recognizing him through their rear-view mirrors would harangue him, while others pulling up to the curb pulled right back out again. Musicians even came to threaten his life. A few once waited for him outside his house to work him over. One tango singer actually barged into a radio station where he was giving an interview and put a pistol to his head. 'I was taking the old tango away from them,' Piazzolla said. 'The old tango, the one they loved was dying. And they hated me.' But he took nothing away from them at all. By modernizing the form, by midwifing the birth of a far more profound music within the tango, Astor Piazzolla made it more eternal." Piazzolla wrote over 750 compositions, including concerti, operas, film and theater scores, and made over seventy records.

[Eugene]

Not quite mandolin, but I believe one of the best pluckers of tango to be Victor Villadangos (http://www.villadangos.com.ar/). #He also tends to favor dedicated repertoire over transcription, which, as I am an old fuddy-duddy, I admit appeals to me.

A guy I would like to hear dabble in this repertoire a bit more is Randall Avers (http://www.randallavers.com/). #He handles guitar transcription of Piazolla's La Muerte del Angel as well as it can be handled.

If you're up for a little guitar playing yourself, I played a small role in generating More Tangos, Milongas, Habaneras (http://www.orphee.com/solos/more-tangos.html) (I was only a proofreader and receive no proceeds). #It's a largely old-fashioned approach addressing a largely Spanish paradigm, but I find its contents quite classy.

Some other guitar composers to watch are Jose Luis Merlin and Jorge Morel.

Alas, I know more tarantellas than tangos specifically for mandolin.

[brunello97]

Jeff, If you enjoy Piazzola, you might enjoy Tosca led for years by my buddy Glover Gil down in Austin.

http://www.glovertango.com/home.htm

A really sweet, great guy (who apparently takes heat in BA for playing accordion.) But many a Thursday night he would run through a TodoTango library on the piano to a crowded West Austin dive of dancers.

They have numerous recordings out (Tia Pamelita and the Waking Life soundtrack, my favorites.) Piazzol-oid compositions that are quite danceable.

Mick

[John Zimm]

If you're up for a little guitar playing yourself, I played a small role in generating More Tangos, Milongas, Habaneras (I was only a proofreader and receive no proceeds). #It's a largely old-fashioned approach addressing a largely Spanish paradigm, but I find its contents quite classy.
I may have to check this out. #I notice there are a few pieces by Julio Sagreras. #Whenever I pick up the guitar I play something by Sagreras from one of his lesson books. #

I have to agree with all of the praises heaped on Astor Piazzolla. #It does seem though that transcriptions for guitar/flute-mandolin-guitar, whatever the case may be, can't compare with the full versions of the pieces he wrote and played. #It would be interesting to see some of his work arranged for a larger plectral ensemble. #

-John.

[Martin Jonas]

I know of a few tangos written specifically for mandolin, although none of them actually by an Argentinian. #In the first half of the 20th century, Dutch composer Joh. Kok wrote some tangos as well as various other tunes in folk-based idioms from all over the world. #Nice tunes, and fairly easy to play. #I think they are at the Nakano site. Our ensemble plays a couple of them -- here are some very rough rehearsal recordings of La Margarita (http://www.martin.jonas.dsl.pipex.com/Rehearsal2/La-Margarita-9-11-06.mp3) and Toledo (http://www.martin.jonas.dsl.pipex.com/Rehearsal2/Toledo-9-11-06.mp3). #Please excuse the messy recording; these are really just unrehearsed run-throughs captured for monitoring purposes with the built-in mike of an MP3 player.

Martin

[JeffD]

Mandolin orchestras playing tangos. When you die and go to heaven you hear mandolin orchestras playing tangos.

[Dena Haselwander]

I apologize if this site has already been mentioned: www.mandragoratango.com

It has Astor Piazzolla works and many other fun and entertaining tangos and melodies. Enjoy!


Dena

[John Zimm]

Mandolin orchestras playing tangos. When you die and go to heaven you hear mandolin orchestras playing tangos.
Amen to that. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Zimm]

I apologize if this site has already been mentioned: www.mandragoratango.com

It has Astor Piazzolla works and many other fun and entertaining tangos and melodies. #Enjoy!


Dena
Cool site. These guys sound great! Thanks for sharing.

[oggiesnr]

the bandoneon - being very melodic - one would assume the tunes would work well on mandolin - the rest of what Piazzolla has going on is the hard part

The difficulty with playing bandoneon music on another instrument (apart from piano) lies in the nature of the bandoneon. #Piazzola uses it in some works as a melody instrument akin to the violin etc but it is capable of playing both treble and bass, four notes per side and of holding one note whilst playing others over the top. For example there is a passage in Libertango where the right hand plays a breve of A (below middle C) whilst also playing quavers which include C and C#.

This is a solo version of Adios Nonino where the bandoneon also plays what would be a piano or guitar part. Adios Nonino (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txni9rfpnWg)

In his Concerto para Bandoneon, Piazzolla essntially plays the right hand (using pull notes only but that's a bandoneon nicety).

All the best

Steve

[testore]

Check out what Mia Beiser did on the cello. It's called Oblivion. It also has some Jaquin Nin compositions. It happens to be my cello she is useing too.

[Dena Haselwander]

Yo-Yo Ma has a great CD called Soul of the Tango that feature the works of Piazzolla. (Again, I apologize if this has been mentioned and I missed it...)


Dena

[JeffD]

Yo-Yo Ma has a great CD called Soul of the Tango that feature the works of Piazzolla. (Again, I apologize if this has been mentioned and I missed it...)


Dena
I have that CD. I played the potatoes out of it.

[Dena Haselwander]

"...played the potatoes out of it..." http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif I like that!


Dena

[mandroid]

Notable recording of Gary Burton on vibraphone and Astor Piazzolla .
has been a favorite of mine for years.

[aussiemando]

"i have a recording of "Buenos Aries" as well as "Adios Nonino" with guitar and mandolin I forget who the artist is- I will say the arrangments are very "bare bone" but do convey the spirit of nuevo tango"
Could be us (Nougat)
As I mentioned in another post, these pieces have pretty much fallen off our repertoire these days but we are doing Cafe 1930 and recorded it recently. I've put it up on our Myspace site but I have to take it off soon because I'm applying for a festival who will look at the site and only want original music.

No special arrangement here (just reading the flute & guitar parts).

My myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/nougatduo)

[JeffD]

When I was first introduced to Astor Piazzolla, and tango music in general, I was pretty uninterested. I expected to be bored and was being polite.

I was blown away. It was so refreshing sounding - like a re-invention of music to me.

That was many years ago, I have since listened to a lot of tango, visited Buenos Aries and purchased several records and CDs.

Every now and then I get into a funk, where I feel like everything that can be done with western music has been done - I pull out my Piazzolla CDs and the world of music becomes delightful and infinite again.

To be able to explore tango on my mandolin - to recreate music itself with my own fingers, well that is the goal I guess.

[aussiemando]

Yes I love it too - I first heard an Argentinian Tango orchestra on a trip to France about 12 years ago. I hope you acheieve your objective of translating Piazolla for mandolin.

I've noticed a lot of Piazolla's tango type pieces (rather than his more classical pieces) have two styles of Bandoneon phrasing. Adios Nonino is a good example of this - there is the "percussive" bit and then there is the sentimental bit. I think the sentimental parts really work well on solo mandolin (sometimes better than flute or even violin) but the percussive bits - well the more I listen to Bandoneon versions, the more pronounced the differences in attack between mandolin and bandoneon become to me.

If you have time, have a listen to "Last Drive in Marseilles" - on the Myspace page. I set that on the same trip to France and have incorporated mandolin where I think it goes OK - we don't do it live any more because it loses so much when you remove the accordion (and play the part with mandolin).

More recently I wrote what I would term an "Italian Tango" for an accordion playing friend who likes that sort of thing, but since sending to him his health has declined and he's had to stop playing - I haven't heard it yet.

But I digress ...

If you do find something suitable for mando from Piazolla I would love to know.

Cheers,
RuthMy myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/nougatduo)

[JeffD]

I think we need some of the folks from Bandoneon Cafe to help us out - oh that hasn't been invented yet. Darn. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[oggiesnr]

I think we need some of the folks from Bandoneon Cafe to help us out - oh that hasn't been invented yet. Darn. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
There ain't as many bandoneonistes as mandolin palyers http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif ,and fewer still who also play mandolin. My Bandoneon is a 128 note Alfred Arnold with reed beds dated 17th May 1939. #My mandolin is a Fender stop gap until I can afford to trade up again. #Never again will I leave a mandolin unattended at a session!

A beauty of Piazzolla's work is that so little of it has been played on mandolin that there is a lot to go at. #I still think that the secret is to concentrate on the sound and potential of the mandolin and work from there. #Also bear in mind that for Piazzolla the written note was a starting point. #If you compare the written part of "Five Tango Sensations" with what he played they are significantly different although they have the same structure etc.

In his "live at Toronto" video, the band are all playing from sheet music but his performance is again different from other recordings of his work, he reminds of, for example Grappelli, it comes out different yet the same each time.

All the best

Steve

[entau]

Yes - Nougat - that is the CD! -

my apologies for the slip of the tounge -

nice work on the piazzola!

[JeffD]

I just got a book - Astor Piazzolla for Violin & Guitar. Its a Hal Leanard publication. I have been plinky plunking with that for a half hour now, and it is fun. The rythem is kind of hard to get my head around, but its seems eminently playable.

I know several guitar players, but none that read notation. But we'll find someone and work some of these pieces into shape. This music sure is fun.

I love all of your enthusiasm.

Jeff

[Jim Garber]

I don't know about serious, but I have an old tango publsihed by O.Pagani Company called Fumando Espero (http://www.paperclipdesign.com/19ctunes/).

Talk about cross-cultural travelings: a friend of mine plays guitar in this Irish tango band (http://www.myspace.com/fantangoireland). No mandolins (tho he is an excellent player) they do have a violinist.

Jim

[Jim Garber]

Try this as a resource for tango TodoTango (http://www.todotango.com/english/main.html) #
That certainly is an interesting site, however, I could not find any way to download higher res image files of the sheet music. Am I missing something?

Jim

[oggiesnr]

Try this as a resource for tango TodoTango (http://www.todotango.com/english/main.html) #
That certainly is an interesting site, however, I could not find any way to download higher res image files of the sheet music. Am I missing something?

Jim
I right click and save image as is and then import into CorelDraw or Photoshop and enlarge and/or clean up there. It'sa bit of a chore but I think worth it.

All the best

Steve

[aussiemando]

Thanks and no worries Timothy!

Oggie I envy you - mandolin and bandoneon! #You're very lucky.

You might be familiar with Gotan project (contemporary Tango with DJs etc.) - I love their bandoneonista (in a musical way). #They came to Melbourne recently and he was fantastic.

I hope one day to find one locally who is willing to work with me.

Cheers,
Ruth

[oggiesnr]

Advice given to me about tango many years ago by an old accordian player. "First, remember it's a dance, second, remember it's the nearest thing there is to sex on the dance floor". Which he translated as, "watch your speed and rhythm, create the atmosphere, keep it "slinky"".

Hard to describe in words but watch top class tango dancers in action and you'll get the gist.

All the best

Steve

[mandoisland]

Hello,
recently we had 4 concerts where we played Verano Porteno in a version for mandolin orchestra and also the Misa a Buenos Aires, a tango mass composed by Martin Palmeri. During the preparation for this concert I searched for some examples of Verano Porteno and information about Astor Piazzolla. The compilation of this (in German) can be found on

Weblog Mandoisland Feb. 2007 (http://www.mandoisland.de/weblog_07_02.html)

I found several versions of Verano Porteno on youtube
Maybe you like following some of the links.
You can find some pieces as sheetmusic for guitar at

guitarreando.iespana.es (http://guitarreando.iespana.es/apunpiazz.htm)

[margora]

"Hello,
recently we had 4 concerts where we played Verano Porteno in a version for mandolin orchestra."

This is MOST interesting. The Providence Mandolin Orchestra is VERY interested in giving a performance of all of Piazzolla's "Four Seasons" in, obviously, versions for mandolin orchestra but this is the first time I have heard of an arrangement of any of them. Mandoisland: (a) where did you get this arrangement? (b) is it commercially available (or would barter work)?

Also, the PMO does a version of Libertango, arranged by Alex Timmerman. Chances are good we will play it in our joint venture with HET CONSORT this weekend.

[Dena Haselwander]

Jeff, Your book looks very good. I don't know where you got it, but I checked at Sheet Music Plus; typed in Astor Piazzolla and got 179 results. Fun browsing...


Dena

[JeffD]

"The Providence Mandolin Orchestra is VERY interested in giving a performance of all of Piazzolla's "Four Seasons" in, obviously, versions for mandolin orchestra




Also, the PMO does a version of Libertango, arranged by Alex Timmerman. #Chances are good we will play it in our joint venture with HET CONSORT this weekend.
Excellent!

[Jim Garber]

I just got a book - Astor Piazzolla for Violin & Guitar. Its a Hal Leanard publication.
Looks like this one (http://www.halleonard.com/item_detail.jsp?itemid=695888&order=4&catcode=00&refer=search&type=product&keywords=astor+).

http://www.halleonard.com/item_gif/00695888.gif

Jim

[JeffD]

Yes thats the one.

What I have been doing is working on the rythem first. Funny to hear me looking at the music going "dididit deeeeyayadit didi dit dit dididit". Once the rythem is there in my head though, grabbing the notes is pretty straight forward. Perhaps slow going but straight forward.

I am having a real blast with this material. I can really get lost in it.

And when my friends hear me do some of this they will be surprized. An old timey celtic contradance cowboy waltz folkie turned argentinian tango classical.

I need to find a guitar player that reads notation.

[oggiesnr]

And when my friends hear me do some of this they will be surprized. An old timey celtic contradance cowboy waltz folkie turned argentinian tango classical.

I need to find a guitar player that reads notation.
Suggestion, find a guitarist who can read music enough to work out the chord sequences and then work out his/her own guitar part. That way you become unique and add your own voices to the music.

All the best

Steve

[margora]

"I need to find a guitar player that reads notation."

If memory serves (it has been a while) the guitar parts in this particular edition are intermediate in difficulty, so any decent classical guitarist will do. Whether they can sight read the music is another matter, but playing it should not be a problem. Generally (with some obvious exceptions, such as Sergio Assad's solo arrangements of the "Four Seasons") the guitar parts in arranged Piazzolla are not difficult, largely because the arrangements are done by guitarists. Piazzolla's own writing for classical guitar is another matter entirely. The Tango Suite is quite difficult if taken at tempo, as are various subsections and measures of the Cinco Piezas or the Histoire de Tango or the Concerto.

[aussiemando]

Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd let you know we played Cafe 1930 last Saturday night at a Musica Viva concert in a country gallery.
There was one person who mentioned liking it best afterwards (as opposed to about 10 who mentioned liking our version of a Sting song). This person turned out to be an excellent jazz guitarist.
Perhaps musicians need a higher level of harmonic complexity.
I can't see us performing it again in the near future.

[aussiemando]

I was just looking over when it actually was that I mentioned wishing I could put together a group of Tango inspired music. It was July 16, 2007.

Almost 2 years ago ...

Well my dream has finally become reality! (see Ruth Roshan & Tango Noir) on the home page.

I found there was no Bandoneonista in Melbourne Australia who plays professionally (there is the legend of one Argentinian whose wife won't let him play ... hmmmm). But I did get George Butrumlis, accordion extraordinaire.

A lot of those old Italian and French tangos called for 'Fisarmonica' (meaning accordion) and my compositions tend to be more European than South American sounding so I guess it's OK to use accordion.

Thanks for the encouragement,
Ruth

http://www.myspace.com/ruthroshan

[JeffD]

This is so wonderful. Just lovely.

I was working on this myself, and got very discouraged. Hearing these folks I am inspired to take it up again.

[aussiemando]

Well I've been working on this one ... Here's a link to Piazzolla's Soledad played live by my quintet. I'm basically playing the guitar part and it's the accordion and violin with most of the melody but I think the mandolin tremolo sits nicely and adds to the melancholy feeling.
#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HlDE8IamFs&feature=youtu.be
#

[MMDavis]

That is very beautiful, Ruth. Lovely piece! Your ensemble has great richness of colors - I like! Thank you for the link.
The Providence Mandolin Orchestra has recently been performing Bob Margo's arrangement of Piazzolla's "Oblivion" which works very well as an orchestra piece. We were inspired to "re-arrange" it for our TRIO 868's performance at the Lunel Festival this last October:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_aZxz8w2Do&feature=plcp&context=C3aa52ebUDOEgsToPDskJQ8PQXS3yIZUSb23usNsgc

[aussiemando]

Thst video is Lovely! Yes Oblivion is my favourite too.

[taboot]

The Jazz Mandolin Project's record/title track "Jungle Tango" is very much a Piazzolla homage. Good tune, good record, and not everyone's cup of tea, though I love it. Check out the tune Mandoneon on their first record as well... And if you haven't heard it yet, Zero Hour is an amazing album of music.

Christian

[joebrent]

Here's an old video of the trio (pre-quartet) playing an original arrangement of 'Bandoneon' --


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oybSaSRh-64