Astor Piazzolla: biography, interesting facts, creativity

Astor Piazzolla

The piercing, sensual melody of "Libertango" with sad, almost dreary notes gives way to explosive chords on the edge of decency, life itself sounds in amazing music, making you want the impossible and believe in the fulfillment of a dream. This legendary work by Astor Piazzolla recalls the life story of the composer, the revolutionary struggle against the ossified prejudices of traditional performance, sacrifice in the name of purpose and faith in future changes - his Nuevo tango.

A brief biography of Astor Piazzolla and many interesting facts about the composer can be found on our page.

Short biography of Piazzolla

March 11, 1921 in the family of hereditary emigrants Asunta Mannetti and Vicente Piazzolla was born a son, the boy was named Astor Pantaleon Piazzolla. The Argentinean resort of Mar del Plateau became the birthplace of the future composer. It was there that the first seeds of the tango rhythms were sown in the boy's quivering soul, the love of incendiary melody accompanied Astor all his life.

In search of a better fate, Vicente, along with his wife and four-year-old son, moved to New York, where the family settles in a poor area of ​​Manhattan, surrounded by the same immigrants from Italy. Growing up, little Astor learns to earn money, helping in the neighboring synagogue and listening to the original tunes of Jewish music, while managing to participate in the semi-criminal life of "little Italy". From real problems with the law, the boy is saved by his father: Vicente buys the eight-year-old Astor the first in his life bandoneon, with whom he will not part until the end of his life. The Great Depression forces the family to return to Argentina for a short time, but the lack of work and the general decline of the country leave no choice, Piazzolla is returning to America.

The father instills a teenager for a concert performance, encouraging public performances in which young Astor demonstrates his achievements. Attempts to systematize musical education do not bring success, the boy learns from Andreas d'Aquila for possession of bandoneon for a year, takes lessons from Bela Wilda, a Hungarian pianist (student of Rachmaninov), through whom he fell in love with Bach. Renewed friendship with friends from a disadvantaged area leads to natural consequences, Astor is kicked out of another school, at the age of thirteen he stops receiving a classical education. There is a free time that the young man spends in the music clubs of Harlem, listens to jazz performed by D. Ellington and C. Calloway, absorbs new sounds and rhythms like a sponge, discovering the possibilities of arranging.

A landmark meeting in 1931 with the Argentine legend Carlos Gardel forever determined the path followed by Astor, the country's national symbol - Gardel managed to raise the folk dance to the rank of real art. The impression that the great artist made on the young musician helped to define the goal, brought together the scattered knowledge and proved the reality of the realization of a daring dream. The boy fell in love with tango, not experiencing the fanatical worship of his countrymen, the distance from his homeland helped him to avoid the traditional awe, allowing them to mix styles, experiment with directions, trying to bring the dance to the level of academic performance. At the age of seventeen Piazzolla returns to Argentina, the sextet of Elvino Vardaro with an original tango performance, heard on the radio, inspires the guy to develop a musical career as a bandoneonist. Thanks to the occasion, he enters the famous all-country orchestra Anibal Troilo, which gives him the opportunity to perform in the most famous concert halls of Buenos Aires and improve the game of bandoneon, learning from maestro Troilo.

Biography of Piazzolla says that having received financial stability, Astor married Dada Wolf, children appeared in marriage, Diana in 1943 and Daniel Hugo in 1945. The years in the team of Troilo helped the composer to thoroughly study the style of Argentine tango, but this is not enough for a demanding mind. the framework of traditional performance prevent implementation. A meeting with Arthur Rubinstein in 1940, to which Astor demonstrated his works, led to an acquaintance with Argentinean composer Alberta Hinaster. Piazzolla has been studying composition creation for 6 years with the maestro, plunging ever deeper into the world of symphonic music and academic performance. In 1943 he took additional piano lessons, Raul Spivak became a teacher, the first classical works appeared, the beginning of the first stage of creativity - the “traditional”.

First steps towards fate

Astor applies the new knowledge in the orchestra of Troilo, creating unusual arrangements for the usual tango, an illustrative event occurred at the site of the Boca Juniors football club, where the next dance festival was held. The performance by the orchestra Troylo traditional tango "Inspiracion" in the treatment of Piazzolla, had the effect of a bombshell, the dancers and the audience divided into two irreconcilable camps, one left the venue in anger, others came closer to listen to unusual music. "The great transformation of tango" began, along with several other musicians Astor leaves the Triplet orchestra, young people create their own band "Francisco Fiorentino and his orchestra." In the fall of 1944, the first studio works were recorded and performed in public, Piazzolla actively involved in the work and soon took over the management of the orchestra. Here he tries to realize his vision of tango performance, creates original arrangements using complex rhythms, unusual interpretations of parts for various instruments and the obligatory presence of a bandoneon. The Piazzolla progressive methods evoke negative emotions in the collective of musicians, the situation is heating up and Astor is forced to leave the orchestra to create his own ensemble. The audience, educated in dance tango for decades, was not ready to accept innovative ideas from Piazzolla, the team was interrupted by odd jobs, and even writing their own tango "El Desbande" did not save the situation. Astor writes music for films, trying to make money, is increasingly disappointed in tango, and in 1949 dismisses the team, throwing a bandoneon and an unruly dance for 10 long years.

The lack of music education pushes Astor to search for new knowledge, trying to find his style, Piazzolla composes pieces for chamber performance, studies the compositions of Stravinsky and Bartók, learns to conduct with Eraman Sherchen, listens to jazz. The works of Astor of the early fifties, closer to the symphonic music, the Argentine tango has almost disappeared, but the unique style of the future "Great Astor" is already visible. The year 1953 brought the musician a long-awaited opportunity to make up for failures in education: Hinaster literally forced him to participate in a competition of young performers, where Piazzolla presented his "Buenos Aires" jury. The piece won the first prize, and the winged author performed it with the "Radio del Estado" symphony orchestra conducted by Sevitsky and a couple of invited bandoneonists. The inclusion of a common instrument into the academic orchestra shocked the public, the story of the unaccepted tango threatened to repeat itself, but the narrow-minded inertia did not matter to Astor. The unique manner of the performer was recognized by a professional jury, and as an additional prize Piazzolla got the opportunity to study composition from the famous French teacher Nadia Boulanger.

In the summer of 1954, Piazzolla’s spouses ended up in Europe. Astor recalled her acquaintance with Nadia with trepidation, comparing her with the FBI agent, she pulled out of the musician all the details of her personal life, career and future plans with amazing insight. The need to choose one of the directions no longer exists, Piazzolla returns to bandoneon, writes academic music, which is based on Argentine tango. He writes several works back in Paris, makes studio recordings of tango, accompanied by a string orchestra, sets his foot on the chair while recording, fixing his stage image, known to the whole world, with an unusual pose.

Rebellious spirit as the inevitability of victory

Confident in victory, inspired by hope and with a desire for revenge, in 1955 the composer returns to Buenos Aires, where he creates Octeto Buenos Aires to translate his ideas. Astor invites jazz guitarist Horacio Malvisino to the collective, working together with him will become a characteristic feature in many compositions of the maestro orchestras. The sound of the electric guitar in the rhythms of tango became an original find, Piazzolla continues to experiment with arrangements, being subjected to merciless criticism and irritating traditional performers. Threats of physical violence, the refusal of the studios to write down and the hysteria of the newspapers force him to leave the Motherland once again, in the midst of 1958 Piazzolla left Buenos Aires and rush to America, Astor collects his first quintet, tries to combine tango and jazz. The musician makes acquaintances with famous jazz performers from the teams of Glenn Miller and Tom Dorsey, collaborates with the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, creates new arrangements and tries to conquer the audience with unusual interpretations of tango. Once again, the artist is disappointed, he is clearly ahead of his time, America is embraced by bebop, complex jazz improvisations rule out the melody, without which the Piazzolla tango is unthinkable. In the late autumn of 1959, the father of the composer Vicente Nonino dies. Astor creates a memorable play "Adios Nonino" and returns to his homeland.

The long-awaited success and recognition of the public

The third attempt is successful, Piazzolla forms a team that meets all its requirements, bandoneon, violin, electric guitar, piano and double bass. Together with the quintet, he implements his ideas, performs with concerts, tours the country, successfully tours in Brazil and the states. In 1963, he was awarded the "Hirsch" for the performance of the "Three Symphonic Tangos"; he writes and writes down "El Tango" and "Piazzolla at the Philarmonic Hall New York" to the poems of Luis Borges. The confrontation between fans and opponents of Piazzolla heightens the situation, public conflicts lead to the disintegration of the family, in 1966 the couple breaks up. Personal tragedy does not interfere with creativity, Horacio Ferrer inspires Astor with his poems to create the operetta Maria of Buenos Aires, the maestro is working on creating his own "Nuevo Tango", has a passionate affair with A. Baltar, a famous folklore singer. In 1969, The Ballad of the Madman, created by co-authors and performed by Amelita to the accompaniment of an orchestra conducted by Astor, won the second prize at the First Ibero-American Music Festival and the heart of grateful listeners. The triumphal procession continues, in 1971, Piazzolla introduces the “Young People” oratorio, created in collaboration with Ferrero, to the German audience, at the same time renewing the “Conjunto 9” line, with which the two-year contract is signed by the city authorities of Buenos Aires.

Personal drama and the creation of the legendary "Libertango"

Nonet successfully tours the Latin American countries, is removed for Italian television, the new orchestra allows the maestro to fulfill his wildest dreams, but the sudden cessation of funding for the ensemble leads to a forced reduction in the number of participants. Piazzolla returns to the habitual quintet, Amelita’s career rushes up, Astor is openly jealous of her achievements, and discord is ripening in the relationship. Returning home brings fragile stability, Piazzolla settles in the capital "Colon", where he regularly performs with concerts, creates music for the films "Penultimate" and "Jean and Paul", releases the disc "Popular Modern Music of Buenos Aires." In the summer of 1972, the famous Pearl Concert took place, which became a legend. Difficult relations with Amelita led to parting and a sudden heart attack, which briefly suspended the development of creativity. Emotions Astor devastated the soul, trying to forget, in 1973, a man goes to Italy, where he records a number of works at the studio, among which the world-famous composition “Libertango” sounds for the first time. In the same place he meets the young group "Conjunto Electronico", with whom he is experimenting with new features of electronic music.

last years of life

According to the biography of Piazzolla, in 1978, Astor returns to his favorite composition of the five. The team is now in demand in Europe, South America, gives concerts in Japan and the United States, viewers are happy to accept the original style of performance, recognizing the author of the new concept in Piazzolla. Musical elite took Astor into their ranks, his societies are looking for recognized jazz legends and authoritative classical stars, in honor of legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, in 1982 Astor gave birth to the Great Tango for piano with a cello. In 1983, a momentous event took place, Piazzolla performed in Buenos Aires with his Nuevo Tango program, demonstrating his revolutionary tango in his homeland. Astor presented to the public the “Concerto for Bandoneon with Orchestra”, where he was the soloist to the accompaniment of the classical team led by Pedro Caldorone, for this event he revived “Conjunto 9”. But the full recognition of fellow countrymen came in 1985, when Astor Piazzolla was named an honorary citizen of Buenos Aires, Argentina bowed before the talent of the maestro.

The end of life of Piazzolla was held under the unceasing applause of the public: constant touring, endless concerts with world jazz stars, the prestigious Cesar Prize, baptism on the Broadway stage and studio work on old recordings. In 1987, the maestro applauded New York, a memorable concert performance was held in the central park. The city was admired by a composer who grew up here, loved jazz and Bach, recognized the bitterness of defeat and managed to succeed. 1988 brought a shock to fans of creativity, Astor dismissed his quintet, recording "La Camorra", so that at the beginning of next year he would create his last band "The New Tango Sextet". Together with the renewed sextet, Piazzolla demonstrates achievements in the Colon Theater, after which he goes on tour in the USA, England, Holland and Germany. By the end of the year, she again disbands the group, and until the end of her life she performs solo, accompanied by string quartets and symphony orchestras. The great composer did not become on July 4, 1992, owing to an extensive stroke that had been postponed two years before, the audacious rebel could not overcome the fatal consequences of the disease.

Interesting facts about Piazzolla

• From the biography of Piazzolla, we learn that the first musical instrument that little Astor mastered was the mouth organ, presented by his father at the age of 4 years;

• Maestro dreamed of making bandoneon an academic instrument for a symphony orchestra: an idea that he successfully implemented, creating pieces for his favorite and symphony orchestras;
• The son of Piazzolla, Daniel Hugo, after the death of his father, recreated his famous ensemble, where he played with pleasure (synthesizer) himself, and drew to him his son Daniel Astor (drums);
• Mstislav Rostropovich played the Great Tango, written in his honor by Piazzollo, in New Orleans in 1990, and also in 1994, on the stage of the Colon Theater in Buenos Aires in honor of the memory of the great musician;
• The composer’s work "Oblivion" in 1993 was announced by a candidate for a Grammy, among the best instrumental compositions;
• During the last Piazzolla tour in the states, the world famous jazz magazine "Down Beat" called the maestro one of the world's foremost musicians;
• The middle of the last century, when the intensity of tango passion was especially high, Astor annoyed about the inertia of the listeners: "... In Argentina, you can change a hundred presidents, change one religion to another, but tango is inviolable ...";
• In 1972, because of the intense rehearsals before the "Pearl Concert", Astor missed the opportunity to compose the soundtrack to the film "The Last Tango in Paris" by the famous Bertolucci;

• Piazzolla is one of the rare lucky ones on the musical Olympus, he managed to play almost all his compositions during his lifetime;
• During his life, Piazzolla composed about 750 pieces: tango, suites, concerts for symphony orchestra, music for films and many others.

Piazzolla music in movies

Astor Piazzolla's music is world famous: in modern cinema, the passionate melodies of the maestro are heard in a huge number of pictures. Only during his lifetime the composer wrote more than 50 works for films, let us take as an example only the most famous films.

• "Lumiere" (2016)
• Gardel's Link (2010)
• Goodbye (2007)
• "Breath Lessons" (2006)
• "Any Questions" (1996)
• "Lion in a gray beard" (1995)
• True Lies (1994)
• The Scent of a Woman (1992)
• "Paula Kautiva" (1963)
• "Armageddon" (1977)
• "Argentine Tango" (1969)
• "Henry IV" (2009)
• "Sucedio en Buenos Aires" (1954)

Творчество Пьяццоллы - это постоянное внутреннее противоречие, революционные перемены и тяга к академическому исполнению, чувственные ритмы танго и классические симфонические сюиты, глубокая любовь к традициям и желание их изменить. Perhaps this is the reason why listening to Astor Piazzolla's rebellious tango, you want to be sad alone, passionately admire the music and live in spite of everything, as El Gran Astor did.