SUITE EL ÁNGEL VIVE
The Suite “El Ángel Vive” is the first musical work composed in tribute to the great Argentine musician Astor Piazzolla. It was released in November 2010 at the Colosseum Theater in Buenos Aires and has been recorded in the homonymous album released soon after.
The work consists of six parts that portrait the musical life of the Argentine composer.
1. “Pichuco”
2. “Nadia”
3. “Sueño Tango”
4. “Lo que vino”
5. “Agitation”
6. “The Angel Lives”
Each of the aforementioned parts refers to Astor Piazzolla’s relationship with each of these people and situations in his musical life.
Plot summary of the different parts that make up the Suite:
1.“Pichuco”
Piazzolla joins the Aníbal Troilo (“Pichuco”) orchestra as a bandoneon player, and then, in addition, becomes his musical arranger.
He is a young musician full of momentum and enormous creative ability.
This first part of the work recounts the confrontation of styles between both composers and Piazzolla’s desire to show all his musical capacity before “Pichuco”, making increasingly elaborate arrangements. Troilo resists this new style that Piazzolla proposes for his orchestra and tries to preserve the musical imprint that has identified him, which leads to a duel of styles that is reflected as the composition progresses.
2.“Nadia”
Piazzolla aba Piazzolla deja temporalmente el Tango y viaja a Europa para perfeccionar sus estudios musicales en composición con la destacada maestra “Nadia” Boulanger.
Luego de un tiempo de trabajo “Nadia” nota que Piazzolla es un músico de enorme talento para la composición, pero que su música carece de esencia. Entonces le pregunta qué tipo de música hacía en Buenos Aires. Piazzolla siente vergüenza de decirle que tocaba tango y que su instrumento era el bandoneón, pero finalmente lo hace.
El Maestro le pide que toque una de sus composiciones. Piazzolla lo hace mostrándole su obra “Triunfal”. “Nadia” se sorprende de la calidad de la composición y sobre todo de su impronta musical y luego le da el conocido consejo que llevaría a Piazzolla a escribir de nuevo su tipo de música; ella dijo: 'Astor... nunca pierdas tu esencia'.
Esta parte de la Suite “El Ángel Vive” transita esta combinación entre la música académica y la esencia de la obra de Piazzolla. Es una mezcla de diferentes estilos pero luego se fusionan en uno nuevo, que es lo que Piazzolla marcó con su música para las generaciones futuras . Boulanger .
Luego de un tiempo de trabajo “Nadia” nota que Piazzolla es un músico de enorme talento para la composición, pero que le falta esencia a su música. En tal sentido le pregunta qué trabajos musicales hacía habitualmente en Buenos Aires. Piazzolla siente reparo en contarle que tocaba Tango y que su instrumento era el Bandoneón, pero finalmente lo hace.
La Maestra le pide que le toque alguna de sus composiciones. Piazzolla lo hace y le muestra su obra “Triunfal”. “Nadia” se sorprende de la calidad de la composición y sobre todo de su impronta musical y entonces le brinda el conocido consejo que llevaría nuevamente a Piazzolla a escribir su música, le dijo: “Astor…no pierda nunca su esencia”.
Esta parte de la Suite “El Ángel Vive” transita esta combinación entre la música académica y la esencia de la obra Piazzolleana. Es una mixtura de estilos diferentes pero que luego logran fusionarse en uno nuevo, que es el que Piazzolla marcó con su música para las futuras generaciones.
3.“Sueño Tango”
The music of this third part of the Suite, focuses on the nostalgia that Piazzolla begins to feel for having abandoned his style.
An Adagio at the beginning of the piece shows this longing and the sadness that this causes to him.
The second part of the composition marks Piazzolla’s decision to return to his composing mystique and fully exploit his possibilities. A very tangled and rhythmically marked Andante in his characteristic 3-3-2, will be signaling this composer’s return to his love, the Tango, his Tango.
4.“Lo que vino”
This part of the Suite has been written in commemoration of Piazzolla’s legendary theme song, “Lo que vendrá (Whay Will come).” In it Piazzolla anticipated what was coming; the unmistakable style of his music that would revolutionize all Tango.
“Lo que vino” is a musical account of that change produced in Argentine music by the groove that Piazzolla marked for all future generations.
5.“Agitación”
This musical work begins with a Fugue that then leads to a main theme that represents the “agitation” in the musical and artistic environment that the Piazzollean revolution caused.
It is a music of great sound intensity, with a complex harmony that accompanies a sharp melody, both reflecting Piazzolla’s compositional style.
6. “El Ángel Vive”.
Finally, the work that gives the Suite its title (and was the first to be composed, many years ago).
In the fall of ’89, Maestro Astor Piazzolla was about to start what would be his last tour with his “Sextet”. Prior to the presentation concert of his musical group, I handed him as a gift this piece that I dedicated to him, which I had titled “El Ángel Vive””.
Upon receiving it, he set out with his bandoneon to play the first bars… ‘Is this how I am?’ he asked me.
And he added: ‘Why “The Angel Lives”?’, to which I replied: ‘”Angel” because you have titled many of your works that way, and “Lives” because I believe that, as you said, your work will still be listened to in the year 3000’.
“El Ángel Vive” is a musical piece that ambitiously tries to describe the “soul” of this great musician and composer. His eternal concern for superation, his invaluable talent and above all things his tireless fight against mediocrity and artistic stagnation.
The Suite doesn’t intend to be a biographical work. It is only a selection of instances of the intense musical life of Piazzolla, arising from the talks with Atilio Talin, his friend, manager and agent for over 25 years, who always supported every step of the Camerata Porteña.
Nor is it a tribute in itself. My gift to Maestro Astor Piazzolla was fortunately handed by myself to him while he lived, and received with warmth and gratitude.
