5 versions of Piazzolla's Libertango that might just take your breath away
From prog rock, to acoustic guitars, via 70s chase scenes and close-mic a-capella
Last updated 11th Mar 2021
Argentine tango composer and bandoneon player Astor Piazzolla was born in 1921. He lived in New York for some of his early life, before studying with Nadia Boulanger in Paris in the 1930s.
Piazzolla is renowned for creating a 'tango nuevo' - a new style of tango music - which gave the musical form worldwide appeal.
Perhaps his most well-known piece of music - Libertango - has been covered by a variety of musicians the world over. We take a look at the original from Piazzolla himself, plus four other covers you may not have seen before.
Astor Piazzolla's RTS performance in 1977
Piazzolla had suffered a heart attack in 1973, after which he moved to Milan where a publishing company offered an extensive contract to write whatever he chose.
The result was the album Libertango, from which the title track is perhaps his most recognisable creation.
Libertango is a conflation of 'Libertad' (meaning liberty) and tango. The album is thought to represent Piazzolla's break with what was regarded as a traditional or 'classical' tango, moving more towards a modern and perhaps more widely accessible style of musical tango.
Perhaps the music that helped Piazzolla gain the worldwide prominence he now has, the ever-popular Libertango with its driving insistence was given a prog-rock feel during a TV show Piazzolla performed in during his 1977 European tour. Watch him here join the fray around 2.44" in a treatment of his most famous melody dripping with musical intrigue and jeopardy. Exactly the kind of music you'd want playing in a 70s chase sequence.
Yo-Yo Ma plays Libertango (1997)
What some of a certain age might instantly recognise as Piazzolla's most famous track may well originate from a collaboration with the world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma back in 1997, released with a video that promoted the 1999 Grammy award-winning 'Soul of the Tango' album featuring Kathryn Stott.
Aydar Gaynullin and Staatskapelle Berlin play Libertango
This performance at the Berlin Philharmonie featuring accordion player Aydar Gaynullin and the Staatskapelle Berlin, demonstrates the appeal of Piazzolla's original work - taking the original material, improvising with it, and presenting it at first as an obscure melodic idea. As the music slowly becomes more recognisable so the tension is increased before the Staatskapelle finally join in what culminates in a near maniacal conclusion.
40 Fingers play Libertango
What better than four accoustic guitars, forty fingers, and four guitarists all exchanging smoldering looks sat in the wine cellar? We're not entirely sure whether the barrels have anything in them, but just the sound of this spectacular dexterous feat makes us want to reach for a large glass of red.
Swingle Singers step up to the mic with their version of Libertango
The Swingle Singers with their trademark dry production sound give us a version of Libertango made only with the human voice. There's a watery feel to the mix at the beginning of this, but once the main material kicks in the mild peril that Piazzolla's original work captured is there for all to revel. If you like that kind of thing. Which we do.
What is the difference between a bandoneon and an accordion?
Astor Piazzolla bandoneon player.
Bandoneons can be referred to as 'squeezeboxes'. They have buttons rather than keys (an accordion has keys) and the quality of the sound is governed by the air squeezed through the instrument.
An accordion has what looks like a mini keyboard on one side of the bellows.