Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)
First broadcast from 20090406 to 20090410.
5 episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 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 carlos gardel and alfredo le pera: mi buenos aires querido el desbande Donald Macleod explores piazzolla's early life, focusing on his discovery of the bandoneon troilo/piazzolla: contrabajeando sinfonietta for chamber orchestra two pieces for clarinet and string orchestra, op 15 cvg florez-c frollo, arr. piazzolla: solo se quiere una vez |
| 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 triunfal piazzolla, arr. augustin carlevaro: chau paris adios nonino tango ballet (transcr. for violin and string orchestra) tres minutos con la realidad Donald Macleod evaluates the impact on his career of piazzolla's studies in paris buenos aires (1st mvt) |
| 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 el tango excerpt from the operita maria de buenos aires piazzolla/ferrer: balada para un loco tanzango: variations on buenos aires Donald Macleod surveys piazzolla's intensely creative period during the 1960s |
| 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 concerto for bandoneon, string orchestra and percussion (1st mvt) mumuki tres piezas para orquesta de camara milonga del angel Donald Macleod follows astor piazzolla's musical interests in the 1970s 20 years ago |
| 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. Astor Piazzolla (bandoneon) Fernando Suarez Paz (violin) Pablo Ziegler (piano) Horacio Malvicino (electric guitar) Hector Console (bass) American Clave AMCL1021, Tr 3 Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Kathryn Stott (piano) Sony Classical SK 63122, Tr 5 Kronos Quartet Elektra Nonesuch 7559792542, Tr 4 Horacio Malvicino (guitar) Messidor 15970-2, Tr 1. |