Le Grand Tango: The Life and Music of Astor Piazzolla

Rating:
Summary: Le Grand Tango
Review: Astor Piazzolla's music is nothing if not controversial. Among the Argentines themselves, there seems to be two opinions. One was voiced to me some years ago by an Argentine tanguera whose artistic views I always listen to, when she said that "Tango is tango, and Piazzolla is not!" The other is stated just as militantly in favor of Piazzolla's efforts. Wildly so.

Piazzolla died in 1992. But the debate still rages, and there's little middle ground. The reason for it is that Piazzolla remade the Argentine tango in ways that had never been imagined possible before him. He's one of those composers who takes a regional musical impulse and refashions it into a new statement of world-wide interest. Controversial he is, to be sure. But with the possible exception of the legendary singer Carlos Gardel, no one has expanded the consciousness of the world more with regard to the tango than Astor Piazzolla.

Le Grand Tango is the first complete biography of Piazzolla. Born in Buenos Aires in 1921, he spent eleven years of his childhood in New York City, in the East Village. Radio interviews with him reveal that he spoke fluent English with a Lower East Side accent. Even as a child, Astor's talent on the bandoneón, the large concertina-like instrument that is considered by most to be the soul of the tango, was noted. But he was not playing the tango at that time. The boy preferred classical music and jazz, Bach and Gershwin. His father Vicente, a barber and woodworker, pushed Astor to make himself into a true tango musician. But it was only when, at the age of thirteen, Astor met and was befriended by Carlos Gardel himself, that he began his serious studies in the tango.

Returning to Argentina at the age of sixteen, Astor threw himself into those studies and, almost immediately, was offered a job by another great innovator on the bandoneón, Aníbal Troilo. He joined Troilo's band and became one of its principal arrangers. It was at this time that his difficulties began, as some of the tango musicians found Astor's arrangements too complicated and too difficult to play.

That was because he was putting things into the arrangements that were largely unknown to tangueros. Counterpoint. Fugue. Polyrhythmic intensities that turned the more traditional, and simple, tango rhythms on their heads. Bartok. Stravinsky. Ravel. But Piazzolla was also a consummate tango musician, as anyone knows who has heard him play his own slow, lovely tangos. Despite his experimentalism, his abilities as a composer, musician and arranger simply could not be denied.

Azzi and Collier do a fine job describing Astor's artistic fire, and the debate which always followed in his wake. The book is also often quite funny, because Astor was a genuinely humorous man himself. And it sheds light on the difficulty of being so important an artist who must struggle so to be heard. At least when he was heard, he received the praise that he deserved. As one British critic put it, upon seeing Piazzolla play for the first time, "It was like going to inspect an interesting hillock and uncovering an erupting volcano."

The book contains a very useful discography of Piazzolla's work, excellent notes, a fine list of sources and a complete index.

In the end, Le Grand Tango may be of more interest to aficionados of Argentina and the tango than to the general public. But Piazzolla became so well-known that he was sought out by every kind of accomplished musician, from such disparate realms as jazz, classical music, opera and rock and roll, and they are all here in this book. As a chronicle of this very important composer's presence in the totality of world music, and his battles to make his own music heard and appreciated, it is invaluable. _________________________________

(Novelist Terence Clarke [The Day Nothing Happened, My Father in the Night, The King of Rumah Nadai] has just completed a screenplay that tells of the friendship between the thirteen year-old Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel in New York in 1934. [e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Le Grand Tango
Review: Astor Piazzolla's music is nothing if not controversial. Among the Argentines themselves, there seems to be two opinions. One was voiced to me some years ago by an Argentine tanguera whose artistic views I always listen to, when she said that "Tango is tango, and Piazzolla is not!" The other is stated just as militantly in favor of Piazzolla's efforts. Wildly so.

Piazzolla died in 1992. But the debate still rages, and there's little middle ground. The reason for it is that Piazzolla remade the Argentine tango in ways that had never been imagined possible before him. He's one of those composers who takes a regional musical impulse and refashions it into a new statement of world-wide interest. Controversial he is, to be sure. But with the possible exception of the legendary singer Carlos Gardel, no one has expanded the consciousness of the world more with regard to the tango than Astor Piazzolla.

Le Grand Tango is the first complete biography of Piazzolla. Born in Buenos Aires in 1921, he spent eleven years of his childhood in New York City, in the East Village. Radio interviews with him reveal that he spoke fluent English with a Lower East Side accent. Even as a child, Astor's talent on the bandoneón, the large concertina-like instrument that is considered by most to be the soul of the tango, was noted. But he was not playing the tango at that time. The boy preferred classical music and jazz, Bach and Gershwin. His father Vicente, a barber and woodworker, pushed Astor to make himself into a true tango musician. But it was only when, at the age of thirteen, Astor met and was befriended by Carlos Gardel himself, that he began his serious studies in the tango.

Returning to Argentina at the age of sixteen, Astor threw himself into those studies and, almost immediately, was offered a job by another great innovator on the bandoneón, Aníbal Troilo. He joined Troilo's band and became one of its principal arrangers. It was at this time that his difficulties began, as some of the tango musicians found Astor's arrangements too complicated and too difficult to play.

That was because he was putting things into the arrangements that were largely unknown to tangueros. Counterpoint. Fugue. Polyrhythmic intensities that turned the more traditional, and simple, tango rhythms on their heads. Bartok. Stravinsky. Ravel. But Piazzolla was also a consummate tango musician, as anyone knows who has heard him play his own slow, lovely tangos. Despite his experimentalism, his abilities as a composer, musician and arranger simply could not be denied.

Azzi and Collier do a fine job describing Astor's artistic fire, and the debate which always followed in his wake. The book is also often quite funny, because Astor was a genuinely humorous man himself. And it sheds light on the difficulty of being so important an artist who must struggle so to be heard. At least when he was heard, he received the praise that he deserved. As one British critic put it, upon seeing Piazzolla play for the first time, "It was like going to inspect an interesting hillock and uncovering an erupting volcano."

The book contains a very useful discography of Piazzolla's work, excellent notes, a fine list of sources and a complete index.

In the end, Le Grand Tango may be of more interest to aficionados of Argentina and the tango than to the general public. But Piazzolla became so well-known that he was sought out by every kind of accomplished musician, from such disparate realms as jazz, classical music, opera and rock and roll, and they are all here in this book. As a chronicle of this very important composer's presence in the totality of world music, and his battles to make his own music heard and appreciated, it is invaluable. _________________________________

(Novelist Terence Clarke [The Day Nothing Happened, My Father in the Night, The King of Rumah Nadai] has just completed a screenplay that tells of the friendship between the thirteen year-old Astor Piazzolla and Carlos Gardel in New York in 1934. [e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: An Engaging Hagiography
Review: Nearly ten years after Astor Piazzolla's death, the debate still rages about whether or not his music is "tango". Well, some of it is, and some of it isn't. But the roots of all his music lie deep in the tango tradition and whether or not a particular piece is or isn't tango is of no real importance. The fact is that Astor Piazzolla composed some of the finest music in any genre and all Argentines can take pride in that. I have been a fan of Astor Piazzolla for nearly 30 years but only knew the music. After having read Le Grand Tango, I now feel as though I know the man. Having "met" him, my understanding and admiration of both the music and the man has increased exponentially. Azzi and Collier have authored an easy to follow, entertaining and informative book about El Maestro. One learns not only about his music but about his forceful personality and the forces which shaped Piazzolla and drove him to be the most dazzling musician of the 20th century. His life, his loves, his triumphs and his failures all spring to life here. Though most readers will likely be hardcore fans of Piazzolla, its flowing style makes it an engaging hagiographical read for anyone who has even a mild interest in music history or in the forces and personalities which have shaped and regenerated tango throughout second half of the 20th century.

Rating:
Summary: An Engaging Hagiography
Review: Nearly ten years after Astor Piazzolla's death, the debate still rages about whether or not his music is "tango". Well, some of it is, and some of it isn't. But the roots of all his music lie deep in the tango tradition and whether or not a particular piece is or isn't tango is of no real importance. The fact is that Astor Piazzolla composed some of the finest music in any genre and all Argentines can take pride in that. I have been a fan of Astor Piazzolla for nearly 30 years but only knew the music. After having read Le Grand Tango, I now feel as though I know the man. Having "met" him, my understanding and admiration of both the music and the man has increased exponentially. Azzi and Collier have authored an easy to follow, entertaining and informative book about El Maestro. One learns not only about his music but about his forceful personality and the forces which shaped Piazzolla and drove him to be the most dazzling musician of the 20th century. His life, his loves, his triumphs and his failures all spring to life here. Though most readers will likely be hardcore fans of Piazzolla, its flowing style makes it an engaging hagiographical read for anyone who has even a mild interest in music history or in the forces and personalities which have shaped and regenerated tango throughout second half of the 20th century.

Rating:
Summary: Azzi and Collier have written a masterpiece.
Review: Piazzola means tango for many people. The first tango music I ever purchased was Piazzola's music. His music dominated Sally Porter's movie, "Tango Lesson." This is a man that you must know about if you like tango, the dance and the music. Even if your interest is 20th century music, you will be fascinated. The story of Piazzola's life is a story of how cultures, music, and people are interrelated. As a person who was born in Argentina, his music was tango; as a kid named "Lefty" who grew up in Manhattan, he felt the influence of jazz. As a musician known as "El Gato," he built on the tango traditions of Troilo, Sarli, and Pugliese.

He began his musical career as a musician who could not read music. Anibal Troilo hired Piazzola because he had memorized the band's repertoire. He studied music and composition while playing in tango groups, and went on for more formal training in Paris. Piazzola loved everything from the classical music of Rubenstein to the jazz of Gershwin. Although we think of Piazzola in terms of tango, many of his contemporary tango aficionados hated his music because it was nontraditional, evolutionary, and avant gard.

This book was of value to me because it increased my understanding not just of Piazzola, but also of the major twentieth century tango musicians and composers. It may not make me a better dancer, but the increase of knowledge added to my appreciation of the music not just of Piazzola, but also of Pablo Ziegler, Romulo Larrea, and Felix Leclerc. It was a fitting complement to "Tango!" a collaborative book by Simon Collier, Artemis Cooper, Maria Susana Azzi, and Richard Martin. You don't have to be a serious student of music to enjoy either book. It will add to your appreciation of tango.

Rating:
Summary: Azzi and Collier have written a masterpiece.
Review: Piazzola means tango for many people. The first tango music I ever purchased was Piazzola's music. His music dominated Sally Porter's movie, "Tango Lesson." This is a man that you must know about if you like tango, the dance and the music. Even if your interest is 20th century music, you will be fascinated. The story of Piazzola's life is a story of how cultures, music, and people are interrelated. As a person who was born in Argentina, his music was tango; as a kid named "Lefty" who grew up in Manhattan, he felt the influence of jazz. As a musician known as "El Gato," he built on the tango traditions of Troilo, Sarli, and Pugliese.

He began his musical career as a musician who could not read music. Anibal Troilo hired Piazzola because he had memorized the band's repertoire. He studied music and composition while playing in tango groups, and went on for more formal training in Paris. Piazzola loved everything from the classical music of Rubenstein to the jazz of Gershwin. Although we think of Piazzola in terms of tango, many of his contemporary tango aficionados hated his music because it was nontraditional, evolutionary, and avant gard.

This book was of value to me because it increased my understanding not just of Piazzola, but also of the major twentieth century tango musicians and composers. It may not make me a better dancer, but the increase of knowledge added to my appreciation of the music not just of Piazzola, but also of Pablo Ziegler, Romulo Larrea, and Felix Leclerc. It was a fitting complement to "Tango!" a collaborative book by Simon Collier, Artemis Cooper, Maria Susana Azzi, and Richard Martin. You don't have to be a serious student of music to enjoy either book. It will add to your appreciation of tango.

Rating:
Summary: Azzi and Collier have written a masterpiece.
Review: Piazzola means tango for many people. The first tango music I ever purchased was Piazzola's music. His music dominated Sally Porter's movie, "Tango Lesson." This is a man that you must know about if you like tango, the dance and the music. Even if your interest is 20th century music, you will be fascinated. The story of Piazzola's life is a story of how cultures, music, and people are interrelated. As a person who was born in Argentina, his music was tango; as a kid named "Lefty" who grew up in Manhattan, he felt the influence of jazz. As a musician known as "El Gato," he built on the tango traditions of Troilo, Sarli, and Pugliese.

He began his musical career as a musician who could not read music. Anibal Troilo hired Piazzola because he had memorized the band's repertoire. He studied music and composition while playing in tango groups, and went on for more formal training in Paris. Piazzola loved everything from the classical music of Rubenstein to the jazz of Gershwin. Although we think of Piazzola in terms of tango, many of his contemporary tango aficionados hated his music because it was nontraditional, evolutionary, and avant gard.

This book was of value to me because it increased my understanding not just of Piazzola, but also of the major twentieth century tango musicians and composers. It may not make me a better dancer, but the increase of knowledge added to my appreciation of the music not just of Piazzola, but also of Pablo Ziegler, Romulo Larrea, and Felix Leclerc. It was a fitting complement to "Tango!" a collaborative book by Simon Collier, Artemis Cooper, Maria Susana Azzi, and Richard Martin. You don't have to be a serious student of music to enjoy either book. It will add to your appreciation of tango.

Rating:
Summary: El Libro que tanto esperabamos.....
Review: Quienes de una u otra forma estamos interesados en la vida y obra del genial maestro, este libro ocupa el vacío dejado por la obra de Natalio Gorin y de Diana Piazzolla.Con una lectura entretenida Azzi y Collier nos van llevando de la mano por los laberintos que Piazzolla tuvo que recorrer hasta ser aceptado, reconocido y admirado en el mundo del tango y de la musica contemporánea;con una excelente discografia, notas y fuentes de investigación, este libro está destinado a ser de lectura obligada para investigadores musicales, músicos, amantes de la música de Piazzolla y público en general

Rating:
Summary: Piazzolla fans should buy this book!
Review: This is the best and most complete document about the life and work of Astor Piazzolla. The authors inter-link Piazzolla's work with the major events of his life and the artistic and political context of the time. If you are really interested in learning about Piazzolla, you should go ahead and buy this book.