A. Piazzolla - Le Grand Tango, Libertango & Milonga en Re - Mifune Tsuji & Yukie Smith

A live recording from our chamber concert at the Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge UK. 15th September, 2013 Pictures of tango dancers were borrowed from those available from the Bing search under 'tango', 'tango Argentine' and 'tango dancers'. If the owner(s) of the picture(s) have an issue with the use of them in this video, please contact me. I'll change it. Thank you. Libertango 09:07 Milonga 13:54 Piazzolla's unique style of incorporating the elements of jazz and classical music revolutionised the traditional tango into a new style term 'nuevo tango' ('new tango'). His use of 3+3+2 rhythmic pattern, emphasising on the 1st, 4th and 6th quaver notes in 4/4 time with an underlying habanera rhythm is an essential part of his style and much evident in all three pieces here. Le Grand Tango was originally written for cello and piano, dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich. The story goes that Rostropovich had never heard of Piazzolla and left the score in a drawer for years. Eventually he realised the importance of this work and travelled to Buenos Aires to be coached by Piazzolla himself. Le Grand Tango consists of three distinct sections; the first combines the intensity of tango rhythm (3+3+2) with extended harmonies. The mood alternates between fierceness and tenderness; the second enters a melancholic and lyrical dialogue between two players. In the violin and piano version, this section is somewhat shortened; the third returns to the rhythmic intensity of the first but with increased fiery temperament. It goes through rather notable features such as a taste of Baroque imitation, use of hemiola to add rhythmic twist and quasi-blues moment for the piano and finally comes to a virtuosic climax that can easily match a dynamic orchestra. Libertango was originally written as a quintet for piano, accordion, violin, guitar and double bass. The version we have today is a transcription of an arrangement by a cello and piano duo team, 'The CelloProject', in which they explore more of the jazz elements in the piece, in terms of improvisatory melodies and extended harmonies. Milonga en Re is perhaps one of the most simply but yet effectively written slow tango pieces. Closing your eyes, you can imagine the scene of two tango dancers having an intimate moment on the dance floor. With long sustaining singing tones by the violin, layered beneath is a tango milonga rhythm (habanera) by the piano, with lingering melancholic motivic figures. Its texture almost resembles a Baroque passacaglia, such as Purcell's Dido's Lament. Two contrasting characters are beautifully entwined and bind the piece together. It draws both the players and listeners into the story that this piece has to tell. -------------------------- Mifune Tsuji - violin Yukie Smith - piano Piano model: 2007 Steinway D Video recorder: Flip Video Ultra HD Audio recorder: Zoom H4n Video editor: Corel VideoStudio Pro X5