Tango Argentino - Atilio Stampone

 

El Por La Vuelta

Tango Argentino
Atilio Stampone and His Orchesta con Banoneon del Tango
Photography: Bob Witt
Audio Fidelity AFLP 1880
1958

From the back cover: ATILIO STAMPONE, despite his youth, has a long record of professional credits and musical achievements that would make a seasoned veteran proud. As a triple-threat musician, boasting mastery of the piano, rare skill as a conductor and a vast knowledge of Latin music, he has covered considerable ground. This includes appearances as solo pianist in Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, and performances throughout Europe and Latin America as conductor of his own orchestra. He is an authority on the tango, and has won a wide reputation in his native Argentina with his own arrangements in this dance form. His musical education was acquired in Europe and in his own country with many outstanding authorities. One of his most recent achievements was arranging to broadcast-despite contracts that are usually supposed to tie an artist down on an exclusive basis-over two top Argentinian radio networks.

Also from the back cover: Life is a glorious adventure in Argentina, where Irishmen speak Castilian, where man's best friend is his horse, and where the earth enriches beyond one's most extravagant dreams. Indeed, there is an old saying often cited by other Latin Americans that one sure way to become rich is to buy an Argentinian for what he is really worth, and then sell him for what he thinks he's worth. Argentinians allege their country to be the greatest in the world, their frontier mountains to be the highest, their pampas to be the widest, their lakes the most beautiful, the cattle the finest, the vineyards the most fertile, the women the most lovely and the men the bravest. Not disputing any of the foregoing, the Argentinians also have the most enchanting tangos. Argentinians are lovers of music-both classical and popular. Many of the country's musical compositions and dances, in addition to having considerable abstract appeal, have special meaning or actual stories connected with them. Popular music reflects the national character, and the tango is the one piece for which Argentina is best known. One Argentinian has said that the tango does not reflect real life there, but rather, life tries to reflect the tango.The Argentinian tango was first heard towards the end of the nineteenth century in a form vastly different from that of today. Some authorities hold that it was at first a hybrid mix- ture of the Andalusian tango, the Cuban habanera and the Argentinian milonga. Others claim that its origins are African, Brazilian and Italian.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, no one dared to play a tango in an Argentinian ballroom because it was considered a shameful inheritance from the gaucho, who was very much disliked by high society in the large cities. But when families that suddenly acquired wealth went abroad to enjoy their money, their sons introduced the tango to the French, and it became at once popular. Women found it exciting. And after it became the rage of Paris, the dance underwent some refinement, with the result that it was considered perfectly proper for any young Argentinian lady to dance it in public. The tango was then "re-imported" from Europe, immediately replaced the waltz, polka and other old fashioned dances and became no less the rage in Argentina than it had been in Paris. Today the tango is a part of Argentinian life, and is regarded by experts as both distinct and completely a form of importance. In Argentina new tangos make their appearance all the time, while old ones are played perennially.

Citizens of Buenos Aires-clerks, shopkeepers, waiters, sales- men and factory workers-never seem to get tired enough to go home early even after a full day's work. They generally go to a motion picture show, the theater or a concert, and then jam the cafes and night clubs. They love nothing more than to step into a cafe, summon the waiter and sit endlessly sipping their favorite drink and listening to and/or dancing the tango. Two sounds are ubiquitous in Buenos Aires-the smack of the bidou cup as it rolls out the dice, and the strains of tango after tango echoing into the early morning hours.

With newspapers, radios, television sets and movies still a novelty in rural areas, the Argentinian must provide his own entertainment. And so he spends his leisure time in typical Spanish fashion-either in the cafes or boliches (taverns). As Argentinians become imbued more and more with a feeling for their own nationalism, the influence of both Spain and France is less apparent in every facet of their life. The tango has played an important role in bringing this to pass.

This recording, made in Buenos Aires, is unusual in that it has an authenticity which is immediately and ever apparent. The artists who take part in the recording are experts not only on the tango, but on Latin American music in general. Their musical abilities, coupled with expert sound engineering utilizing special microphone placement, painstaking analysis and application of high fidelity techniques, result in the kind of performance that sounds like a personal visit to the Argentinian capital. The many subtleties of meaning in the emotional and narrative contents of each selection are captured through the use of the finest recording equipment obtainable. The same may be said of the tonal nuances, which are immeasurably more effective as a result of the application of guaranteed total frequency range recording methods.

LA RAYUELA (Julio de Caro) - A description of the child's game, hopscotch. The composer intended this to be a symbol of liberty because as a child he was prevented by parental discipline and by musical studies from playing hopscotch with other children.
EL ARRANQUE (The Start-Julio de Caro) - This was inspired by a little broken down automobile the composer drove when starting on a holiday trip. When the car refused to budge, he had to spend an entire night alongside it on the open road. Like other tangos, it helps recall happenings that are unimportant to most people.
EL ONCE (The Man From Once-Osvaldo y Emilio Fresedo) - Once is a historical and traditional district of Buenos Aires, very much like a small town. The composer pays tribute to the district and to a famous tango composer, Enric que Santos Discepolo, who was born there.
EL IRRESISTIBLE (Logatti) - This tango might connote the conquering male who is irresistible to the ladies.
CABULERO (Superstitious Gambler-Leopoldo Federico) - This is dedicated to the gambler who gambles with his own special system, not taking rash chances and ever trying to triumph with good fortune.
SI NO ME ENGANA EL CORAZON (If My Heart Does Not Deceive Me-Mishe y Carlos Bahr) - The hero awaits the arrival of his love in a song of hope and happiness.
POR LA VUELTA (For the Returning – Jose Tinelli and Enrique Cadicamo) - Everything is as it was a year ago when the lovers separated. It is raining outside, and it seems as if it were the same rain as that afternoon they said good bye. Reminded of the old love, they raise their glasses and drink to the reunion.
ADIOS CORAZON (Goodbye My Heart-Echegoncelay and Zapelli) - This tango, by Uruguayan composers, refers to the lover who speaks to the girl of his dreams in the street and tells of his love. The man apparently has won the lady, and leaves a suspicion of what is to come as they say goodbye, leaving future developments to the listener's imagination.
SENSIBLERO (Sensible One-Julian Plaza) - A highly tender, lyrical and inspired composition attempting to portray a very lovable person, one highly romantic and easily touched.
NOSTALGIAS (Nostalgia-Juan Carlos Cobian and Enrique Cadicamo) - The man drinks to forget his love and tries to find forgetfulness in other women, but finds it impossible. Everything reminds him of his beloved, and he comforts himself that the woman has been the last love of a declining youth. SALIMOS A BAILAR (Shall We Dance-Pomatti and Leopoldo Diaz Velez) - He follows her hopefully. He loves her, and the only chance he has to talk to her is while they dance. Hence the title. He praises her lavishly as they dance, and his dreams come true as the woman returns his love.
REFLEXIONEMOS (Lets Think It Over-Pablo Marin) - The hero calls his love back and begs her to reconsider her decision to separate. He asks her to return to him as he feels that so much love cannot go unrequited.