The Architecture of Tango

Nothing profound, folks, just a concept that popped into my head this morning - a photo/graphical representation to make us think about things in a different way with regard to the ongoing debate. "Us" being Me, Myself and I.

[ Some of us don't get out to dance much, and so are left with reading and thinking and pondering about tango as the only outlet to feed our addiction. ]

Thoughts, comments, philosophies, and/or observations on the subject greatly appreciated, as always...

Tango is in trouble...

From ruddy...this is one of those "must reads" that rises to the surface periodically...interesting stuff...


Hola Naifas y Garabos,
this has been an interesting topic, albeit IMHO just
another round in the seemingly endless battle between
the conservative and liberal camps of the tango spectrum.

Coincidentally, a friend of mine who just came back from
Buenos Aires posted the following in a local tango list:


...
Tango is in trouble. Living in our own world of music and dance, we
are failing to see it. The milongas in Buenos Aires are full. And
when they are not, the practicas are (100-300 people). But in the
real world, outside of the milongas, the picture looks very different.

Argentines, essentially, are boycotting the tango. Many even hate
it. Out of 100 radio stations in Buenos Aires, only one plays tango
music. Argentine companies do not use tango music in their TV
commercials, preferring rock, foreign or national. And Argentine
people that love tango music are in despair. They no longer have
hope that the young Argentines will embrace the tango. Many also
have lost hope in the Europeans. But they have a lot of hope in the
Americans.

Many Argentine people that are involved with the music of tango, such
as tango historians and others, who may not even dance themselves,
feel that the Americans have a genuine interest and love for tango
music. It appears that many people from the US are buying a lot of
tango music, and not just the most obvious selections, but things
that are rare, and they know what they are buying because they have
been looking for it. These Argentine tango historians look at the
Amerian dancers and DJs with respect and hope. They believe that if
anyone can save the tango, it will be the Americans that love it.

There are many young people (18 +) in Buenos Aires, who dance
beautiful traditional tango with great style and energy, and they do
not dance "nuevo" or dance to electronic tango (both of which seem to
be the domain of dancers outside of Argentina). Instead, they love
to dance to Donato, Canaro, Lomuto, etc. But there are not enough of
them to keep tango from oblivion.

Traditionally, tango orchestras played at the milongas, sometimes as
many as four or five on the same night at the same milonga. There
was also recorded music. Each orchestra had its own unique sound,
and each orchestra's signature was their endings. After the WWII,
there were only two recording studios - Victor and Odeon. As a
result, many orchestras recorded either very little or not at
all. Those that recorded, left a legacy unmatched by anything else
from the more recent history of tango.

Why are the recordings of Pugliese, made in August of1945, have a
very special feel, something very haunting and beautiful that does
not appear in his later recordings? This was the first recording
that Pugliese did with his musicians as a full orchestra. Maybe we
feel that excitement in the music. It was a precious moment for
those musicians.

And what about Orquesta Tipica Victor? That was a special
time. Victor created a tango orchestra that never played in
public. They only recorded. But many, many musicians played with
them. That is why the sound of Donato and Carabelli powerfully
echoes OT Victor.

Because each orchestra had a different feel to their music, the
dancers became very selective regarding who they danced with to
particular music. The tandas maintained the feeling and the dancers
were never surprised by a sudden change. The lyrics of tango also
played an important part. The poetry of tango is beautiful,
memorable, and often painful. It was often written by very famous poets.
...


If, as my friend says, we Americans are the last hope for
tango, I think the tango will not last to celebrate its 200th
anniversary.

Best regards,
--
ruddy

More on this subject...

Not more on the subject of an already small and contracting tango community (which I will delve into eventually), but more on the subject of traditional tango vs. alt tango music.

First, I need to clarify that it wasn't "no tango at all" at the practica the other night, but someone clarified it for me that it was "almost no tango" or "very little tango" music being played. But still, it pisses me off.

When I was in Buenos Aires this past April, I did not hear one alternative, non-traditional tango being played - never ever in 14 days. The small group I was with attended primarily traditional milongas - and they never played anything but traditional music.

I think the issue is that some people just don't "get" tango music. The people that were hosting the practica in question the other night dance other dances also - swing, swango, ballroomy stuff, etc. I honestly don't think they have ever learned to appreciate tango music - its depth, its complexity, its history. I don't think they have ever really tried.

When I hear a song, and listen to the various instruments being played, I form a mental picture of the original orchestra playing it, live, with people dancing in a milonga. The orchestra is there, the room is surging with the energy of the music, the dancers and the orchestra. Some songs (depending on my mood), actually bring tears to my eyes - Malena, the original version I have of La Cumparsita (did you know there were two lyric versions?), and sometimes Fresedo's Vida Mia. Most of the other really good ones just make the hair stand up on the back of my neck - that sounds wrong - negative - they send chills up and down my spine - there, that's better.

Anywho (big grin), and truth be told I didn't like tango music at first. I didn't "get" it. But I tried to - I listened to tango alot. I sought out videos and CD's. I bought an iPod and started downloading and purchasing music wherever I could find it. I listened and listened and listened. It took about 6 months or so for me to really begin to appreciate it. It took about a year for me to totally (almost) swear off nuevo/alt during milongas.

Don't get me wrong - I love nuevo/alt. But it should played and danced in the proper context. I love Jimi Hendrix' "Hey Joe", "El Tango de Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge, "Every Little Thing About You" by Raul Malo & The Mavericks. All very danceable and fun - but they are just not the same as tango.

Ultimately it boils down to this - and I am speaking only of our little community - if you are not dancing tango (after six years of trying) - and you are not interested in playing tango music - then why bother to call it tango? And damn sure don't call it an Argentine Tango Practica.

I am putting my money where my mouth is and hosting the practica myself next week. It will be billed as an "all traditional tango" practica. No alt/nuevo to be played at all. Continuous music with tandas & cortinas. A traditional tanda structure of T-T-V-T-T-M, but with two song tandas to facilitate the feel of a practica versus a milonga. Line of dance, cabeceo, navigation and other codigos/floorcraft will be observed. In other words, a practica, but in the context of social dancing. Focus on your current favorite issue/problem/dilemma - but dance it out. Dance through it - no stopping and starting and very little talking - lead it - follow it - as they like to say, "shut up and dance".

Part of our problem here is we have so little time on the floor - whether it be classes, practicas or milongas. My feeling is that it's better to spend time dancing and working on "stuff". If you need to work on ocho cortados - then dance - doing a lot of ocho cortados - in the context of the dance - and in the context of doing everything else, but focusing on ocho cortados, and in the context of traditional codigos, floorcraft, tandas, etc. It's like you have to practice everything all at once - right?

'Nuf said...I am beating the proverbial dead horse...thanks for letting me vent...