Next March 11th marks the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Astor Piazzolla, composer and trans-Andean bandoneonist, known worldwide for the uniqueness of his tunes that gave a new personality to the classic Argentine tango, and which was harshly criticized during the second half of the century XX.
The outbursts in rhythm and melody made the traditional tangueros reject Piazzolla’s work, which was only claimed near his death in 1992. Today, a month after the commemoration of what would be the first century of the musician’s life Born in the province of Mar del Plata, the Teatro del Lago pays tribute to him through a conversation with his grandson and musical heir, Daniel “Pipi” Piazzolla, in a talk called Piazzolla x Piazzolla.
Adapting to the sanitary conditions, the drummer will connect via zoom from his native Buenos Aires with his partner from the Escalandrum sextet, the pianist Nicolás Guerschberg, to discuss the musical influence of Piazzolla, whose avant-garde style is still in force. “We would have loved to be live, but my grandfather deserves this tribute, albeit in a virtual way,” the artist tells Culto.
Those attending this telematic talk, which will be moderated by the national musician Sebastián Errázuriz, and which will depart at 8:00 p.m., will be able to access for free by prior registration at www.teatrodellago.cl, and according to its main speaker it will allow the audience to soak up the life and work of Astor Piazzolla, through anecdotes and stories, but also his influences and motivations as an artist.
In addition, they will enjoy a live presentation of two of the most emblematic pieces of the composer’s career, who settled in New York at an early age. It is Adiós Nonino, written in 1959 and dedicated to Piazzolla’s late father, who bought him his first bandoneon when he was just 6 years old; and Libertango, a badge of his creative freedom that gave new life to orthodox tango. After the small remote concert, there will be a space to receive open questions from the public.
This activity, which is part of the Theater Tango Week located in Frutillar, serves as a preview to the launch of 100, Escalandrum’s new album that will be released on the same day that a century of Astor Piazzolla’s birth is commemorated. “Most of our albums are our own music, but when we have paid homage to my grandfather, we have done very well,” says the drummer, recalling the 2011 Latin Grammy nomination for the album Piazzolla plays Piazzolla.
Through a fusion of tango, folklore and jazz, and with a formation more attached to the latter genre than to the classic Argentine rhythm, the sextet will reinterpret the work of the late musician, preserving the essence and trying to be as faithful to the original idea as possible. “What we have to do as musicians and as listeners is to enjoy the legacy that he left us, which is still very new. I think my grandfather wrote music around the year 3000, this is just starting ”, explains the percussionist
The artist who came to Chile for the last time with his group in 2017, says he does not feel the responsibility of raising the Piazzolla surname, since his grandfather was only in charge of positioning himself at the top of music worldwide. “What I do is play the music that I like and among it is my grandfather’s music,” he comments on the times he has played the late arranger and director’s creations.
What do these 100 years of Astor Piazzolla mean to you as a musician and as a grandson?
How quickly time passes, I remember when we listened to music or accompanied him to concerts and I was 60 or 65 years old. Now we are reaching 100. His music is more current than ever, and that is what he left behind, infinite and permanent music. The pride of being the grandson of a genius, who has given me many examples of how to pursue a career as a musician, so I am eternally grateful to him.
What did you inherit from Astor Piazzolla, besides the surname?
From my grandfather I inherited my passion for music, for constantly making new music. Devotion to an instrument, to practice. Take music very seriously and consider it one of the most important things out there. Observing his way of approaching music, the time he devoted to it, all of that stuck with me, and I can’t imagine doing it any other way. He was my great inspiration.
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