Tango’s origin

Researchers have always wanted to reconstruct the story of tango, but, unfortunately, when and where it originated, remains a mystery. This dance style has always been associated to the black or African rhythms, but it is exclusively “porteño”, from Buenos Aires. Some writers believe that Tango is a combination of many musical styles: it has the choreography of milonga, the rhythm of candombe and the sentimental melodic line and the emotional strength of the Cuban habanera. In the nineteenth century, the only amusement for people in Buenos Aires, was going to the circus or to meeting places, since there was no radio or television. That is why music was played live by musicians that could not even read it. It is thought that tango began to be known around 1880. Around that time, brothels began to extend in the city. The women that worked in them were, mainly, immigrants from Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Poland. Also the clients of these brothels were immigrants who had left their wives and families when they decided to leave their countries looking for a better life. But as time went by the show became monotonous, so the brothel-houses used to hire trios or different kinds of musicians groups. During their performances, people used to dance to the music they played.  Unexpectedly, these shows were so successful that they began to be more frequent. It is supposed that that was the origin of Tango. The first tango composer is considered to have been a man called Juan Pérez, who wrote the song “Dame la lata” (“Give me the can”) around 1880; although the existence of older tangos is not discarded. Other of the old tangos are “El tero” (“The teruteru”) and “Andáte a la Recoleta” (“Go to the Recoleta”). The first country were tango was danced was Cuba. In the meanwhile, in Buenos Aires the first dances began to be organised at the academies, where only men were supposed to participate.Tango was born at Corrales Viejos, and grew in the streets of Buenos Aires, thanks to the instrument known as “organito”. With time, Tango continued to spread, and began to be played at cafés such as “Tarana” café, “Hansen” café, “El kioskito”, “La glorieta”, “La red” and “El velódromo”.  Very soon, women began to dance, and this added life to Tango. In 1904, Casimiro Ain performed at the Opera theatre with his wife, as a tango dancing couple. As regards music, piano solos began to be heard, sometimes accompanied by flute and violin, and sometimes by guitar. However, in spite the success tango was having, it still remained a forbidden style of music.

Tango’s lyrics

The first tangos had no lyrics, but in some cases the musicians would improvise them while playing. They would also express his admiration when some gentleman stood out with his partner on the dance floor. This was the origin of tango lyrics. They generally described the tango environment, which was the reason why they were forbidden: since they talked about brothels and prostitutes, they were considered to be obscene. Besides, they showed lack of education. However, at the same time, in some parts of Buenos Aires, poetry was used in the composition of tango lyrics. The “compadrito” was born: a fighting and violent man, who liked to drink a lot. He was proud, stubborn and evil, and he showed it with his courage and in the way he dominated women and daggers. During some time, tango authors, like Antonio Viergol, Luis Roldán or Pérez Freire among others, wrote songs about these subjects. But in 1920, Pascual Contursi, who is thought to be the most important tango lyricist, appeared. He was the first one in writing  narrative lyrics which had an argument. The best example of this is his most successful song: “Mi noche triste” (“My sad night”). “Compadritos” didn’t feel pain, or sang their sorrows of love. Contursi, on the contrary, described melancholy and the soul ache over a lost woman, and tried to cut out of his lyrics all obscene references. Nowadays, there are only a few instrumental tangos. Almost everyone of them has a lyric.

Tango’s environment

Tango was born at the riverside of the Riachuelo, at the “boliches”, or at the “conventillos” in the neighbourhoods of the south of Buenos Aires. The social class in which tango was developed was the so called “Creole-immigratory”. It was mainly formed by sailors, craftsman, peons and all kind of workmen. Generally, they were men with no family, or those who had left their families in their  countries, and who used to go to the dance houses to have some fun. In that places, “malevos” and “guapos” were born. They used to meet at the Sabatino café, the “Almacén de la Milonga” and the “Viejo Bailetín de Palomar”. This portion of society felt very closed to tango because its lyrics talked about the “mala vida” (“Bad life”). This is the reason why tango became so popular.

The first tango groups 

The first groups were trios, usually composed by flute, violin and guitar. By the end of nineteenth century, bandoneon was added to these groups. However, reality showed that the groups were formed by the amount of musicians they were able to find and support. It was not unusual to find in a group harpists, mandolin players or piston players. The groups changed their musicians very often, since companies used to hire them to form their own orchestras. The first group anyone had heard of was a duet formed by Sinforoso and Casimiro Alcorta, who played clarinet and violin, respectively, and used to perform at brothel houses around 1870. In 1900 quartets and quintets became more common, but that didn’t mean the extinction of duets. As time passed, the small groups began to assort themselves, until the “típica” orchestra was born. This kind of orchestra, was hugely successful.

El Portal del Tango

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