Week 8: Argentina, Tango, and Dance
Habanera
Afro-Cuban syncopated long-short rhythm; duple meter
What does tango dance do?
Enacts the cultural ideas of: -historical events and stories -gender and sexuality
Bandoneon
European button accordion brought to Argentina by German immigrants around 1900
Milonga
Events with tango music and dancing
Carlos Gardel -tango audiences and expectations of authenticity (why?)
famous argentine singer: sing the tango song la cumparsita -Argentine audience: dressed as elegant westerner -Europe audience: dresses as gaucho Why? -for Argentines he aims to look cosmopolitan and culturally sophisticated -for Europeans he wants to look exotic and natural/uncivilized
Cultural history of Orchestral tango
- developed in the 1890s in the slums — performed in the slums cafés and brothels — when the government closed the brothels people gathered in "molingas" for events with tango music and dancing -many influences mix such as habanera and gaucho (rural argentine cowboy)
Tango as Argentina national music
-1910s and 1920s: tango dancing catches on abroad in Paris, London, New York City — in part because wealthy young Argentines would go slumming and then travel -1930 years: after international acceptance the tango was widely embraced by Argentines as the national dance music —30s/40s: tango very popular in Argentina
New Tango
-50s tango popularity fades -created by Argentine composer Astor Pizolla
Musical features of tango song
-Less prominent 1234 beats -presence of singer -dramatic changes in tempo to accentuate lyrics
Musical origins of tango
-birthplace of tango music and dance: Buenos Aires, Argentina -tangos international prehistory — many non-Argentine styles influence tango including the habanera rhythm
Cultural history of tango song
-emerged in 1910 (sometimes meant for just listening) -Orchestra tango is still popular - lyrics reflect life in the slums: misery, loss of love, pain, violence, poverty
How does Pizolla gain acceptance in Argentina? What happened before the acceptance?
-gained popularity abroad first -acceptance in Argentina came after international acceptance -Argentines initially rejected Piazolli's music --local radio stations even refused to play his music
Habanera's International History
-habanera based in Europe (English dance and music) -imported to Cuba by the Spanish through colonization -transformed into habanera by black Afro-Cuban musicians through slavery -1850s habanera spreads across south America
Tango and the cultural history of Buenos Aires
-late 19th century (lates 1800s) by Buenos Aires labor market draws rural gauchos and European immigrants causing half the population to be foreign -Poor immigrants and native born Argentines live in the slums and outskirts of the city -many more men than women
Musical features of new tango
-mixes tango with classical music and American jazz -designed for concert hall audiences exclusively for listening -contrasting musical themes (ideas) that reappear and develop (western classical music) -jazz harmonics and improvisational feel jazz
Tango today
-referred in American TV, movies, commercials -sounds and dance are exotic, erotic, "natural"/uncivilized, masculine -Buenos Aires becomes major tourist destination
Orquesta Tipica
1+ bandoneon, string instruments (violins, cello, upright bass), and piano
Argentina tango economy
1970s through the 2000 Argentina's economy in serious trouble -tango economy is a partial solution -most tango monies from foreign tourists -many native became involved in the tango economy part time
Connection between compadrito and tango
Compadrito's: -stance: tango dancers very straight backs -knife fight choreography: tangos smooth steps -machismo: male tango dancers aggressive dominating posture
Azol Pizolla
Created new tango in the 1950s
Taxi dancers
For hire dance partners
Compadrito
Mythic figure at the center of tango -The urban version of Argentine gaucho -Young and poor -flashy dresser wearing a black suit and high heeled boots -machismo: strong and aggressive masculinity
Musical features of Orchestral Tango -rhythm -Quality/instrumentation
Rhythm: -steady tempo, quadruple meter, often strong emphasis on beats 123 and four, embellished by different long-short rhythmic patterns Quality/instrumentation: -Orquesta tipica
Syncopation
Rhythmic effect where there is an unexpected accident in the pattern of stressed and unstressed beats
Autoexoticization
The condition of being able to produce a marketable art only buy exotic sizing oneself and one's culture
La cabaceo
The nodding head when interested in dancing with someone
What services does narrative tango tours offer? -milongas: what's real about tango?
tango classes, dinner shows, historical tours, milonga outings, taxi dancers -real about tango: less staged, group, volunteer
