A Comparison of Argentine A Comparison of Argentine Tango and Igor StravinskyTango and Igor Stravinsky

Michelle KoMichelle Ko

Capital: Buenos Aires

Size: 2,780,400 sq km

Population: 41,769,726 (2011)

Ethnicity: white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%

Religion: Roman Catholic 92%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Argentina Demographic

History of Tango Earliest evidence of Tango dates back to

the mid nineteenth century in Buenos Aires

Around the turn of the century, many European immigrants arrived at Buenos Aires

They brought with them a more lyrical style of violin playing, and the melodic influence of Neapolitan song, a key factor in the melodic beauty characteristic of Tango

Around the year 1910, it is claimed that Bandoneóns were brought to Argentina by German immigrants

The dance that was associated with the Tango music became a driving force in introducing the music to the world

Bandoneón

In the late 1940s, the music and the dance started to separate Musicians were more interested in

playing for a concert audience In 1955, nationalistic government that

encouraged Tango was replaced by a new regime that discouraged Tango Many artists were blacklisted or

imprisoned “New Tango” was formed by Astor

Piazzolla who took elements of Tango but diverted from the tradition Renewed the interest in dance

History of Tango cont.-Nuevo Tango

g

Primary Instruments

Bandaneón

Essential instrument in the tango orchestra

In Germany, it was originally intended to play religious music

Buttons instead of piano keys More compatible with chromatic

tuning structure

Bombo Luguero

Made of a hollowed tree trunk and covered with cured skins of animals

Serves as a combination of bass and percussion, not just maintaining the meter, but evoking an elemental, visceral response

Erkencho

Transverse horn Used for ritual

purposes No reed in its

mouthpiece Produces the notes

available in the natural harmonic series

El Choclo(1898)-Angel Villoldo

Usually played with a Bandaneón or piano for tango dances

2/4 time Key: b minor

(Measures 1-8) Begins with a

diminished seventh Measure 2: Tonic Structure: A-B-C-A-

B-C (including the introduction

Habanera bass Dynamics

throughout the piece

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE7gKEG8O9Y

With Intro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8YSUUeQhHA&feature=player_embedded#!

Key change: d minor (Measures 9-32) Starts with a pickup: three sixteenth notes B flat in the melody but does not belong in the

d minor chord (D-F-A) Creates dissonance with bass line and tension

Scattered Rhythm (“Call” and “response”)

Chromatic scale present in the piece Scattered rhythm pattern (Call and Response) Key change back to the beginning (b minor)

TThe tango he tango eventually extended toeventually extended to Europe at the beginning of the 20th Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. Its popularity soon spread as century. Its popularity soon spread as musicians and dancers from South musicians and dancers from South America performed it in the America performed it in the European metropolises in the 1910s European metropolises in the 1910s and 1920s. and 1920s. Gradually,Gradually, composers in composers in Europe began writing tangosEurope began writing tangos……

Russian-born American composerRussian-born American composer BBorn orn in June 17, 1882in June 17, 1882 in in Oranienbaum, Russia Oranienbaum, Russia

Igor StravinskyIgor Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky grew up in a music atmosphere His father was a leader bass

Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg Acquired a love for musical theatre at

a young age Never entered a music school or a

consèrvatory, and never earned an academic degree in music. Stravinsky studied with Rimsky-

Korsakov, who was an influence on his early music

Stravinsky’s early works impressed Diaghilev (sponsor of entertainment) and invited him to arrange large scale ballet Diaghilev remained a

supporter/sponsor throughout Stravinsky’s life

Biography

Prominent Works Fireworks [Ballet]

Petrushka

The Rite of Spring

The Firebird

Histoire du Soldat (A Soldier’s Tale)

Symphony in Eb Major

Oedipus Rex, opera-oratorio

Tango-Igor Stravinsky Originally for piano in 1940 Composed for chamber

orchestra in 1953

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCz-w8-ipG8

4/4 time

Key: d minor

Minimal dynamics

Chromatic scale present in the piece

Bass leads in

Scattered rhythm

Comparisons

El Choclo: 2/4 time Written for variety

of native instruments

Structure: A-B-C-A-B-C

Wide range of dynamics

Key changes throughout

Tango: 4/4 time Written for

piano Structure:

Bass lead in Minimal

dynamics

Similarities: Key of d minor

Both chromatic scales

leads into repetition of

the pattern Similar melodic

rhythm Beat is sharp allowing

it to be a dance music Scattered rhythms

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ar.htmlar.html

http://www.carnegiehall.org/BlogPost.aspx?id=4294982543http://www.carnegiehall.org/BlogPost.aspx?id=4294982543 http://www.totaltango.com/acatalog/tango_brief_intro_91.htmlhttp://www.totaltango.com/acatalog/tango_brief_intro_91.html http://www.notablebiographies.com/St-Tr/Stravinsky-Igor.htmlhttp://www.notablebiographies.com/St-Tr/Stravinsky-Igor.html http://latinmusic.about.com/od/playlists/tp/TangoDanceSongs.htmhttp://latinmusic.about.com/od/playlists/tp/TangoDanceSongs.htm

Work CitedWork Cited