Episodes
| Series | Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 01 | 20090406 | Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Astor Piazzolla, tracing his early steps. He was born into the world of the tango in Argentina but, at the age of only two, his Italian immigrant parents moved him to the hustle and bustle of New York. It was there that he encountered the bandoneon and classical music - two formative experiences which set the young Astor on his own musical path. Michelangelo '70 Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon) Pablo Ziegler (piano) Fernando Suarez Paz (violin) Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Hector Console (double bass) American Clave AMCL1013, CD1 Tr 5 Carlos Gardel and Alfredo le Pera: Mi Buenos aires querido Carlos Gardel (vocals) Terig Tucci (conductor) Chesky JD10 7, CD1 Tr 1 Troilo/Piazzolla: Contrabajeando Hector Console (bass) Daniel Barenboim (piano) Teldec 063013474 2, CD1 Tr 13 CVG Florez-C Frollo, arr. Piazzolla: Solo se quiere una vez Aldo Campoamor (vocal) Astor Piazzolla and his Orquesta Tipica El Bandoneon EBCD0 2, CD1 Tr 6 Two pieces for clarinet and string orchestra, Op 15 Robert Bianciotto (clarinet) National Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse Alain Moglia (conductor) Capriccio 10 872, Trs 7-8 El desbande El bandoneon EBCD0 2, CD1 Tr 1 Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen Gabriel Castagna (conductor) Chandos Chan 10049, Trs 6-8. Donald Macleod explores Piazzolla's early life, focusing on his discovery of the bandoneon | |
| 2009 | 02 | 20090407 | Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Astor Piazzolla. He evaluates the impact that studying with the famous French pedagogue Nadia Boulanger in Paris had on Piazzolla's compositional direction. When he played her one of his tango compositions, Triunfal, she immediately identified where the Argentinian composer's special talent lay. It was not, as he had thought, through classical composition but in the tango world of his heritage. Piazzolla, arr. Jaurena: Preparense Raul Jaurena (Bandoneon) Giora Feidman (clarinet) South West German Chamber Orchestra Vladislav Czarnecki (conductor) Warner 0927 495052, Tr 3 Buenos Aires (1st mvt) Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen Gabriel Castagna (conductor) Chandos Chan 10419, Tr 1 Gary Burton (vibraphone) Fernando Suarez-Paz (violin) Marcelo Nisinman (bandoneon) Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Makoto Ozone (piano) Hector Console (bass) Concord Jazz CCD-4793-2, Tr 6 Piazzolla, arr. Augustin Carlevaro: Chau Paris David Tanenbaum (guitar) New Albion NA 065CD, Tr 1 Tango Ballet (transcr. for violin and string orchestra) Gidon Kremer (violin) Kremerata Baltica Teldec 3984226612, Trs 1-6 Tres minutos con la realidad Astor Piazzolla, Daniel Binelli (bandoneons) Gerardo Gandini (piano) Jose Bragato (cello) Intuition INT 30792, Tr 5 Adios Nonino Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon) Dante Amicarelli (piano) Antonio Agri (violin) Kicho Diaz (bass) Oscar Lopez Ruiz (guitar) Trova JWCD-5002, Tr 1. Donald Macleod evaluates the impact on his career of Piazzolla's studies in Paris. | |
| 2009 | 03 | 20090408 | Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Astor Piazzolla, surveying the Argentinian composer's intensely creative and emotionally difficult period during the 1960s. At the age of 45, he abruptly left his wife of 24 years and their two children. Thereafter he made headlines both personally and artistically with his new brand of tango, involving himself in artistic collaborations with Argentinian poet Horacio Ferrer and writer Jorge Luis Borges. Buenos Aires Hora Cero Astor Piazzolla, Daniel Binelli (bandoneons) Gerardo Gandini (piano) Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Carlos Nozzi (cello) Angel Ridolfi (bass) Intuition INT 30792, Tr 3 Piazzolla/Ferrer: Balada para un loco Amelita Baltar (singer) Astor Piazzolla y su Orquesta AAA Pagani/Cameo CD 3508, Tr 3 El tango Caetano Veloso (narrator) Gidon Kremer (violin) Per Arne Glorvigen (bandoneon) Vadim Sakharov (piano) Alois Posch (double bass) Nonesuch 7559794622, Tr 5 Tanzango: Variations on Buenos Aires Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen Gabriel Castagna (conductor) Chandos Chan 10049, Tr 1 Excerpt from the operita Maria de Buenos Aires The Spirit - Horacio Ferrer Maria - Julia Zenko Maria Fedotova (flute) Ula Zebriunaite (viola) Marta Sudraba (cello) Peter Sadlo (percussion) Teldec 3984206322, Trs 4-5, 8. Donald Macleod surveys Piazzolla's intensely creative period during the 1960s. | |
| 2009 | 04 | 20090409 | Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Astor Piazzolla, observing how the Argentinian composer's restless nature saw him form several new ensembles during the 1970s. He expanded his gang of five musicians into a super-group of nine, moved into working with electronic instruments and successfully entered the world of jazz with a collaboration with Gerry Mulligan as well as establishing his celebrated second quintet. Libertango Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon) Fernando Suarez Paz (violin) Pablo Ziegler (piano) Oscar Lopez-Ruiz (guitar) Hector Console (bass) Messidor 115922, Tr 5 Milonga del Angel Gary Burton (vibraphone) Fernando Suarez-Paz (violin) Marcelo Nisinman (bandoneon) Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Concord COJ48872, Tr 6 Tres piezas para orquesta de camara Vadim Sakharov (piano) Kremerata Baltica Teldec 3984226612, Trs 11-13 20 Years Ago Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax) Angel 'Pocho' Gatti (piano/organ) Tullio de Piscopo (drums percussions) Giuseppe Prestipino (electric bass) Alberto Baldan, Giani Zilioli (marimbas) Filippo Dacco, Bruno de Filippi (electric guitars) Umberto Benedetti Michelangeli (violin) Renato Riccio (viola) Ennio Miori (cello) Accord 556642, Tr 4 Concerto for bandoneon, string orchestra and percussion (1st mvt) Juan Jose Mosalini (bandoneon) Wurttembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen Gabriel Castagna (conductor) Chandos Chan 10419, Tr 4 Mumuki PEA 461156 2, Tr 7. Donald Macleod follows Astor Piazzolla's musical interests in the 1970s. | |
| 2009 | 05 LAST | 20090410 | Donald Macleod explores the life and work of Astor Piazzolla, piecing together a picture of the complex character of this prolific composer as seen through the eyes of the people closest to him. La Camorra II Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon) Fernando Suarez Paz (violin) Pablo Ziegler (piano) Horacio Malvicino (electric guitar) Hector Console (bass) American Clave AMCL1021, Tr 3 Le grand tango Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Kathryn Stott (piano) Sony Classical SK 63122, Tr 5 Despertar (Five Tango Sensations) Kronos Quartet Elektra Nonesuch 7559792542, Tr 4 Tristezas de un doble A Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Messidor 15970-2, Tr 1. Donald Macleod gets to grips with the complex character of Astor Piazzolla. | |
| 2019 | 01 | Adventures In The Big Apple | 20190318 | Donald Macleod explores the life and music of bandoneon virtuoso and composer Astor Piazzolla, through five key locations, beginning in New York, the city in which he grew up. All his life he fought against the tide, and in the end, he was the victor. Astor Piazzolla was a rebel with a cause. A virtuoso bandoneon player and a composer, he set out to break tango free from its roots, and make it a music with a future far beyond the dance halls and cafes of 1950s Buenos Aires. Hits like `Libertango` and collaborations with jazz giants like Gary Burton and Gerry Mulligan made his name beyond the tango world, while his classical compositions brought his instrument, the bandoneon critical acclaim in the concert hall. The secrets of musical technique came, he said, from his studies with French pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger and Argentinian composer, Alberto Ginastera but they also came from his teenage experiences in Buenos Aires, the city where had played bandoneon and arranged music for Anibal Troilo's famous tango band. Across the week Donald Macleod traces Astor Piazzolla's life through the places which played an important part in his musical development: New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome and the Uraguayan resort of Punta del Este. Piazzolla's links with tango begin in New York. Living there as a child, it's where he encountered one of tangos greats, the singer Carlos Gardel and it's where he was introduced to the instrument with which he conquered the world, the bandoneon. Tanguedia Astor Piazzolla, bandoneon Pablo Ziegler, piano Fernando Suarez Paz, violin Horacio Malvicino, electric guitar Hector Console, bass Tres minutos con la Realidad Gerardo Gandini, piano Horacio Malvicino, guitar Daniel Binelli, bandoneon Jos退 Bragato, cello Piano sonata no 1, Op 7 Allison Brewster Franzetti, piano Sideral Requiem para un Malandra Astor Piazzolla,and his New Octet Antonio Agri, violin Jaime Gosis, piano Kicho D퀀az, bass Oscar L pez Ruiz, electric guitar Leo Jacobson, percussion Jorge Barone, flute Alfredo Alc n, recitation Adios nonino Astor Piazzolla and his quintet Dante Amicarelli, piano Oscar L pez Ruiz, guitar Kicho Diaz, bass Concierto para quinteto Producer: Johannah Smith, BBC Wales Donald Macleod explores the life and music of tango legend Astor Piazzolla. |
| 2019 | 02 | The Secrets Of Tango | 20190319 | Donald Macleod explores tango legend Astor Piazzolla's colourful early years playing bandoneon in the tango bands of Buenos Aires All his life he fought against the tide, and in the end, he was the victor. Born in 1921, Astor Piazzolla was a rebel with a cause. A virtuoso bandoneon player and a composer, he set out to break tango free from its roots, and make it a music with a future far beyond the dance halls and cafes of 1950s Buenos Aires. Hits like `Libertango` and collaborations with jazz giants like Gary Burton and Gerry Mulligan made his name beyond the tango world, while his classical compositions brought his instrument, the bandoneon, and him critical acclaim in the concert hall. The secret of his musical technique came, he said, from his studies with French pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger and Argentinian composer, Alberto Ginastera but there was a third teacher: Buenos Aires, the city which taught him the secrets of tango. Across the week Donald Macleod traces Astor Piazzolla's life through five formative locations, New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome and Punta del Este, the coastal resort where he would spend the summer, relaxing and composing. Piazzolla came to Buenos Aires as a teenager to join one the many tango orchestras, popular in the city during the 1950s. It wasn't long before he was snapped up by one of the most famous outfits lead by Anibal Troilo and began to see the seamier side of caf退 society. Buenos Aires hora cera (Buenos Aires zero hour) Astor Piazzolla and the new Tango Sextet Astor Piazzolla, bandoneon Gerardo Gandini, piano Horacio Malvicino, guitar Daniel Binelli, bandoneon Carlos Nozzi, cello Angel Ridolfi, bass El desbande arr. Piazzolla: A Bardi-M. Battistella: Tiernamente arr. Piazzolla: A. Junnissi: El recodo Aldo Campoamor, vocals Astor Piazzolla and his Orchestra Histoire du Tango for flute and guitar Concert d'aujourd'hui. C退cile Daroux, flute Pablo Mကrquez, guitar Balada para mi muerte Amelita Baltar, vocal Troileana Suite Sinfon퀀a Buenos Aires, Op.15 Moderato - Allegretto Nashville Symphony Orchestra Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor Producer: Johannah Smith, BBC Wales Donald Macleod explores the links between tango legend Astor Piazzolla and Buenos Aires. |
| 2019 | 03 | The Great Revelation | 20190320 | Donald Macleod's exploration of the life and music of Astor Piazzolla moves to Paris, where the tango legend finds his true musical voice. All his life he fought against the tide, and in the end, he was the victor. Born in 1921, Astor Piazzolla was a rebel with a cause. A virtuoso bandoneon player and a composer, he set out to break tango free from its roots, and make it a music with a future far beyond the dance halls and cafes of 1950s Buenos Aires. Hits like `Libertango` and collaborations with jazz giants like Gary Burton and Gerry Mulligan made his name beyond the tango world, while his classical compositions brought his instrument, the bandoneon, and him critical acclaim in the concert hall. The secret of his musical technique came, he said, from his studies with French pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger and Argentinian composer, Alberto Ginastera but there was a third teacher: Buenos Aires, the city which taught him the secrets of tango. Across the week Donald Macleod traces Astor Piazzolla's life through five formative locations, New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome and Punta del Este, the coastal resort where he would spend the summer, relaxing and composing. Piazzolla moved to Paris in 1954 to study with one of the most renowned teachers of the age, Nadia Boulanger. Apart from receiving a through musical training, it was Boulanger's insight that showed him where his future lay. Otoကo porteကo Richard Galliano, accordion Jean Marc Phillips-Varjab退dian, violin Lyonel Schmit, second violin Jean Marc Apap, violin, viola Raphael Pidoux,, cello St退phane Logerot, bass Herv退 Sellin, piano Two pieces for clarinet and string orchestra, Op.15 Contemplaci n. Lento-Tranquillo Danza. Presto Robert Bianciotto, clarinet National Chamber Orchestra of Toulouse Alain Moglia, conductor Sinfon퀀a Buenos Aires, Op.15 Lento, con anima Daniel Binelli, bandoneon Nashville Symphony Orchestra Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor Triunfal Prepကrense Astor Piazzolla and his Quintet Astor Piazzolla, bandoneon Elvino Vardaro, violin Jaime Gosis, piano Kicho Diaz, bass Oscar L pez Ruiz, electric guitar Tangos, El Exilio de Gardel (excerpts from the original soundtrack) Tanguedia I Tanguedia II Tanguedia III Pablo Ziegler, piano Fernando Suarez Paz, violin Oscar Lopez Ruiz, electric guitar Hector Console, double bass Mumuki Gary Burton, vibraphone Fernando Suarez-Paz, violin Marcelo Nisinman, bandoneon Horacio Malvicino, guitar Hector Console, bass Producer: Johannah Smith, BBC Wales Donald Macleod's exploration of tango legend Astor Piazzolla moves to Paris. |
| 2019 | 04 | The Amelita Years | 20190321 | Donald Macleod charts the ups and downs of Astor Piazzolla's years in Rome, where a fresh new start didn't quite turn out as he hoped. All his life he fought against the tide, and in the end, he was the victor. Born in 1921, Astor Piazzolla was a rebel with a cause. A virtuoso bandoneon player and a composer, he set out to break tango free from its roots, and make it a music with a future far beyond the dance halls and cafes of 1950s Buenos Aires. Hits like `Libertango` and collaborations with jazz giants like Gary Burton and Gerry Mulligan made his name beyond the tango world, while his classical compositions brought his instrument, the bandoneon, and him critical acclaim in the concert hall. The secret of his musical technique came, he said, from his studies with French pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger and Argentinian composer, Alberto Ginastera but there was a third teacher: Buenos Aires, the city which taught him the secrets of tango. Across the week Donald Macleod traces Astor Piazzolla's life through five formative locations, New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome and Punta del Este, the coastal resort where he would spend the summer, relaxing and composing. A heart attack and the loss of funding for his band encouraged Piazzolla to seek new pastures. Together with his partner, the tango singer Amelita Baltar, he set up shop in the Eternal City. A new deal with an agent, and some interesting projects beckoned, yet Piazzolla would later describe these years as being full of bad memories. Michelangelo 70 Astor Piazzolla, bandoneon Jaime Gosis, piano Antonio Agri, violin Hugo Baralis, violin Victor Pontino, cello Nestor Panik, viola Kicho Diaz, double bass Cacho Tirao, guitar Arturo Schneider, flute Jos耀 Correale, percussion Tito Bisio, vibraharp, xylophone, carillon Amelitango Horacio Malvicino, electric guitar Juan Carlos Cirigliano, piano Alberto Cevasco, electric bass Santiago Giacobbe, organ Enrique Roizner, percussion Daniel Piazzolla, synthesiser and percussion Arturo Schneider, saxophone and flute Maria de Buenos Aires (excerpt) Scenes 4 to 6 Valentina Montoya Mart퀀nez, Maria Juanjo Lopez Vidal, the Duende, narrator Nicholas Mulroy, vocal, sleepy Buenos Aires sparrow Mr. McFall's Chamber Victor Villena, musical director and bandone n Summit Close your eyes and listen Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax Angel `Pocho` Gatti, piano, organ Tullio de Piscopo, drums Giuseppe Prestipino, electric bass Alberto Baldani, Gianni Zilioli, marimba Filippo Dacco, Bruno de Fillippi, electric guitar Ennio Miori, first cello 3 Movimientos Tanguisticos Portenos (1963) Tango No. 1. Allegretto - Meno mosso e pesante Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen Gabriel Castagna, conductor Tristezas de un Doble A Fernando Suကrez Paz, violin Pablo Ziegler, piano Oscar L pez Ruiz, electric guitar H退ctor Console, bass Producer: Johannah Smith, BBC Wales Donald Macleod's survey of Astor Piazzolla follows the tango legend's rocky road to Rome. |
| 2019 | 05 LAST | Paradise At Last | 20190322 | Donald Macleod explores the significance of tango legend Astor Piazzolla's summer retreat, a spot which proved to be both a source of inspiration and a bolthole for a world weary traveller. All his life he fought against the tide, and in the end, he was the victor. Astor Piazzolla was a rebel with a cause. A virtuoso bandoneon player and a composer, he set out to break tango free from its roots, and make it a music with a future far beyond the dance halls and cafes of 1950s Buenos Aires. Hits like `Libertango` and collaborations with jazz giants like Gary Burton and Gerry Mulligan made his name beyond the tango world, while his classical compositions brought his instrument, the bandoneon critical acclaim in the concert hall. The secrets of musical technique came, he said, from his studies with French pedagogue, Nadia Boulanger and Argentinian composer, Alberto Ginastera but they also came from his teenage experiences in Buenos Aires, the city where had played bandoneon and arranged music for Anibal Troilo's famous tango band. Across the week Donald Macleod traces Astor Piazzolla's life through five formative locations, New York, Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome and Punta del Este, all of which played an important part in shaping his music. Bringing tango to an ever widening and appreciative audience, the constant touring began to take its toll on Piazzolla. The Uraguayan coastal resort of Punta del Este became the place where, in later years, he discovered he could compose and enjoy the fruits of this hard earned success. Jeanne y Paul Astor Piazzolla, bandoneon Antonio Agri, violin Hugo Baralis, violin N退stor Panik, viola Jos退 Bragato, cello Enrique `Kicho` D퀀az, bass Oscar L pez Ruiz, electric guitar Osvaldo Tarantino, piano Jos退 Correale, drums, percussion Resurreccion del Angel Isabelle van Keulen Ensemble Isabelle van Keulen violin Christian Gerber bandoneon Ulrike Payer piano Rüdiger Ludwig double bass Concerto for Bandoneon, String Orchestra & Percussion First movement: Allegro marcato Daniel Binelli, bandoneon Nashville Symphony Orchestra Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor Le Grand Tango Alban Gerhardt, cello Rina Dokshinsky, piano La Camorra II Fernando Suarez Paz, violin Pablo Ziegler, piano Horacio Malvicino, guitar Hector Console, bass Five Tango Sensations Asleep Kronos Quartet Oscar Lopez Ruiz, guitar Producer: Johannah Smith, BBC Wales Donald Macleod explores the significance of tango legend Astor Piazzolla's summer retreat. |