[Tango-L] A Newer Ode to Joy

[Brian Dunn]

Hi Gibson,

You wrote:
>>>
Reflecting on tango music compared to other common musical dance forms 
(salsa, swing), I see a distinct pattern of separation:  tango is 
melancholy, salsa and swing are joyous.
<<<

I've always considered milonga music and dance pretty joyous, mischievous,
almost goofy at times - "El Lloron" by Canaro springs to mind, or "Se Dice
de Mi" - and there's quite a few tangos that reflect a well-honed and
generous sense of humor as well.

I've heard it said that tango has a much greater *range* of emotional
expression than other dance forms - and that part of what sets tango apart
is the sheer abandon and intensity with which the music and dance explore
*whichever* emotional color is expressed, including the melancholy side of
things...

Other dance/music forms sometimes seem more like "single-purpose tools",
emotionally speaking, while the range of tango (including milonga and vals) 
permits entry into the corridors of melancholy as well as joy - a complete
emotional toolbox in a single locale! If it were me, I might rephrase your
statement as "tango is *sometimes* melancholy, salsa and swing are
*uniformly* joyous."

"...upbeat joyous high-fidelity new music..."
Now maybe we're cutting to the chase - the modern ear has been accustomed to
lots of sonic ear candy and high production values, and many lament the
absence of this sonic richness in loder tangos.  But before tarring all of
tango music with the same brush, check out El Arranque's recently-recorded
"Adios Pampa Mia" (from their album "Clasicos") or Kansas City Tango
ensemble Tango Lorca's butt-kicking version of "Milonga de Mis Amores" -
might answer all your concerns.  ;>

These go over VERY big when I DJ at the Mercury Café, the Denver Turnverein,
the Tango Colorado Boulder practica, or at our own milongas, where we play
mostly classical tango.

All the best,
Brian Dunn
Dance of the Heart
Boulder, Colorado USA
www.danceoftheheart.com
"Building a Better World, One Tango at a Time"




-----Original Message-----
From: tango-l-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:tango-l-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of
Gibson Batch
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 9:34 AM
To: TANGO-L at mit.edu
Subject: [Tango-L] A Newer Ode to Joy

Dear List:

Reflecting on tango music compared to other common musical dance forms 
(salsa, swing), I see a distinct pattern of separation:  tango is 
melancholy, salsa and swing are joyous.

In this vein, it is easy for me to see why nuevo tango is so reprehensible 
to many tango-philes.....it is just too happy.  Would you agree?  Tango 
dancers love to express themselves in sadness (in my estimation), and the 
upbeat joyous high-fidelity new music just doesn't do it for many 
traditional dancers.

All is OK with me.  But still, I love nuevo music, and it doesn't bother me 
to be in the minority....as long as someone out there plays it from time to 
time.

I thrive on the joy and abandon that new music inspires in my dance, and in 
my partners.  I would think that there are many people across the world, 
including in BsAs, who would agree with me.

What do you think?

Gibson
Minneapolis


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