Born in Argentina in 1921 to immigrant Italian parents, Astor Piazzolla spent most of his childhood with his family in New York City. While there, he acquired fluency in four languages: Spanish, English, French, and Italian. He also started playing the bandoneon, quickly rising to the status of child prodigy.
He returned to Argentina in 1937, where strictly traditional tango still reigned, and played in night clubs with a series of groups. The pianist Arthur Rubinstein (then living in Buenos Aires) advised him to study with the Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera. Delving into scores of Stravinsky, Bartók, Ravel, and others, he gave up tango temporarily and worked as a modernist classical composer.
After winning a grant from the French government to study in Paris with the French composer and conductor Nadia Boulanger, he returned to Argentina in 1955, formed the Octeto Buenos Aires to play tangos, and never looked back.
Here is Ana Vidovic to play this music for you:
