"El
Portal del Tango" we pay homage to Osvaldo
Pugliese
He
was born on December 2nd, 1905. He was one of the biggest tango authors.
He was born in Villa Crespo, Buenos Aires. He was a piano player, director
and composer. His relationship with music started when he was very
young when his father gave him a violin. Some time later he began
studying at the conservatory in Villa Crespo suburb where he discovered that his
instrument was the piano.
- He studied with teachers like Vicente Scamaruzza and Pedro Rubione. He
was only 15 when he made his debut with a trio in a bar called "La
cueva del Chancho". In 1925 he played with Enrique Pollet and
with the bandoneon player Paquita Bernardo, too. He played with Pedro Maffia
from 1926 to 1929, when he associated with the violin player Elvino
Vardaro to create a sextet. Pugliese formed an orchestra with his name
but it was quicky broken down. He paarticipated in Gobbi's orchestra and
afher that, he had short parcicipations in Daniel Alvarez's, Roberto Firpo's and
Miguel Caló's orchestras. On August 1939 he performed with his orchestra
at "El Nacional" cafe at Corrientes Street. In 1943 with the incorporation of Roberto Chanel the orchestra
obtained a vocal image of its own which would emphasize with Alberto
Moran and ,later on, with Jorge Maciel. In 1943 he recorded his first
album acting for Odeon, Philips and Stentor companies. His first tango was
"Recuerdo"( Memory): one of the most important tango in the
tango history (1924). Troilo said that "Recuerdo" was the tango
that he would have liked to compose. Julio de Caro said it was ¨a
masterpiece of our tango which will last forever´´ Another Pugliese's song was "La
yumba" which was first presented in 1943. Horacio Salas wrote
"Pugliese added the "decariano" tone, a knovish rythm and
dance". Pugliese made performances around the world: Japan, China
and Rusia. Among his best compositions we could name: "Negracha",
"Malandraca", "Para Eduardo Arolas"(To Eduardo
Arolas),"El encopao", "Recien", "Barro"
(Barro),
"La beba"(The baby), "Adios Bardi" (Goodbye Bardy), "Don
Atilio", "Cardo y malvon"(Thistle and mallow), "La
juventud"(Youth), "Gauchita", "Se largo el clasico
" (The classic started), " Corazoneando"( To have the
presentimient) He was declared Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires
in 1986. In 1988 the French Ambasador in Argentina gave him the
Condecoration as "Comendador de la Orden de las Letras". On
August 1st, 1989 SADAIC and the Asociacion de Coleccionistas de Tango
uncovered a plaque at 969 Corrientes Street to celebrate his 50th
anniversary with his orchestra. After a short illness he died on July
25th, 1995 when he was 89 in Buenos Aires city. After 75 years of
performing, with his death one of the most important tango figures
disappeared. Osvaldo Pugliese´s strength goes on through his daugther Beba, a
very important Piano player.
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