Tango Viejo

Tango Viejo: Solo piano tangos performed by Bill Matthiesen

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This recording presents a stunning sampler of the richly varied, romantic tangos written for solo piano during the early years of the twentieth century.

Tango Viejo means "old tango." Dating from 1880 to 1920, these early piano tangos are truly a forgotten part of the Argentine soul. During this period the composers of the guardia vieja, or "old guard," experimented with the tango's form and style. Their piano arrangements capture not only the flavor of that era, but also document the evolution of this beautiful music.

This CD includes:
1. Prendete del Aeroplano by Jose Ezcurra (4:03)
2. El Trillador by Alejandro C. Rolla (4:02)
3. Rio Quarto by R. Alberto Lopez Buchardo (2:36)
4. En la Rambla by Manuel Aroztegui (4:06) [audio sample]
5. El Popular by Alfredo A. Bevilacqua (5:52) [audio sample]
6. La Cotorrita by Samuel Castriota (2:32) [audio sample]
7. La Rosarina by Ricardo Gonzalez (3:10)
8. Flor del Aire by Eduardo Bolter Bulterini (3:31)
9. Velada Criolla by Domingo Perez (4:17) [audio sample]
10. Raspail by G. H. Matos Rodriguez (2:49) [audio sample]
11. El Bigua by Carlos Posadas (5:03)
12. Suelo Argentino by Juan de Dios Filiberto (3:32)
13. Belgique by Enrique Delfino (3:40)
14. El Gallito by Roberto Firpo (3:06) [audio sample]
cover of Cachafaz music)

15. El Cachafaz by Manuel Aroztegui (3:52)
16. Sentimiento Criollo by Roberto Firpo (3:07)
17. Compositor by Hernando Caino (3:22) [audio sample]
18. La Guitarrita by Eduardo Arolas (3:54)
19. Canaro by Jose Martinez (3:43) [audio sample]

Sheet music for these tangos has been published in Argentinean Tangos for Keyboard. This book presents reproductions from original partituras (sheet music) of 42 original piano tangos from the guardia vieja, all from Bill Matthiesen's sheet music collection.

View samples of original sheet music from Argentinean Tangos for Keyboard.

View more sheet music covers from Bill Matthiesen's extensive collection of early tango music.

View a video download of a solo piano concert by Bill Matthiesen at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., featuring these beautiful tangos.

For background on the guardia vieja tangos on the CD, read Bill's notes on the history of tango from the Introduction to his Argentinean Tangos for Keyboard.