More Tangos Milongas Habaneras

All the works gathered in this anthology have one thing in common: the rhythmic cell of the “ritmo tango.” The cross-pollination of the ritmo tango with European dances spawned several musical/choreographic species in America. Habaneras, maxixes, candombes, cifras, estilos, milongas and Spanish tangos are some of the musical styles that coexisted in the Rio de la Plata region during the last decades of the nineteenth century, at a time when the tango rioplatense was consolidating itself as a new cultural expression, while still preserving the marked characteristics of its racially mixed origin. Perhaps the tango’s original sin was its popular origin, at a time when the established cultural view associated the popular with the uncultured. Its other sin was, perhaps, the quebrada (broken) choreography, a characteristic as attractive as it was scandalous. Most of the tangos in this anthology correspond stylistically to the period that is known as the Guardia Vieja, which stretches from the beginning to the middle of the 1920’s. The denominations of tango criollo, tango milonga, Argentine tango, classic tango, and tango were used indiscriminately, without implying particular musical differences. These transcriptions and original compositions were mainly addressed to middle class guitar amateurs. Some of the pieces are technically accessible, clearly aimed at the student or beginner level, while others are more demanding, requiring an intermediate to advanced proficiency. Most of pieces in this volume are for guitar solo, with one guitar duo, paginated comfortably to allow for direct reading by two guitarists. Even with the passage of time, the distinction of the tango’s heritage can provide diversion and delight whether played for one’s own enjoyment or for the entertainment of others.