The tango in American piano music: Selected tangos by Thomson, Copland, Barber, Jaggard, Biscardi, and Bolcom

Abstract

This document represents research and analysis of tangos for solo piano composed by six American art music composers. The selected tangos are from 1920 to 1990. They are representative of diverse musical styles, including tonal and non-tonal musical languages, and both structural and improvisational writing. The first three chapters are dedicated to the study of the tango. Chapter II investigates origins of the tango and presents various theories and dances that influenced tango argentino. Also, in this chapter there is a discussion of what the author considers to be three main elements (musical cadence, choreography, and lyrics) that make tango argentino so distinctive from other tango traditions. Chapter III introduces the tango in the United States and its influence on art music composers. Chapter IV is dedicated to six leading American composers: Virgil Thomson, Aaron Copland, Samuel Barber, David Jaggard, Chester Biscardi, and William Bolcom. Each one of these composers was attracted to the tango genre and expressed through his own musical utterance, the diverse trends in tango styles in the twentieth century. An ample appendix lists tangos for piano by composers from around the world. Finally, a recording of the works analyzed can be obtained through the University of Arizona School of Music and Dance, or through the author's web page at www.oscarmacchioni.net.