Detour from Argentine tango: Stradivari's cellos & Tourte's bows
I love the sound of a cello.
There is not much cello in Argentine tango (except for Le Grand Tango). Regardless of that, I decided to make a short sentimental detour into the past centuries and to talk about my childhood memories of a cello, the prolific genius of violin- and cello-making Antonio Stradivari and the equally great bow-maker Francois Tourte.
You will hear the voices of Yo-yo Ma and Carlos Prieto, the world-class cellists. Of course, you will hear the music by J.S. Bach, A. Piazzolla, H. Villa-Lobos played by those great masters of a cello on their Stradivaris - the Davidov (named after its collector) and the Piatti (named after the great 19th century Italian cellist).
Sources
I will be honest with you: I do not know much about the classical music. I just love the sound of a cello.
Every bit of knowledge about cello, Cremona violin- and cello- making,
Stradivari and Tourte came from the well-organized and well-written book The
Adventures of a Cello
by Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto. There is a special
chapter on Argentine tango and Piazzolla in this book. Carlos Prieto was the
first cellist to record Piazzolla's Le Grand Tango.
The book is partially memoir, partially the biography of his beloved cello Piatti, partially the history of cello (European and Latin American) music.
There is a hidden bonus for those who buys a new copy of the book - a CD on the back cover From Bach to Piazzolla with the recording of Le Grand Tango on it.
Recordings used
Track 1
Carlos Prieto (cello), Edison Quintana (piano)- Aria de Bachianas Brasileiras #5 (Villa-Lobos)
Carlos Prieto (cello), Edison Quintana (piano)-Le Grand Tango (a snippet of 3rd part) (Piazzolla)
Yo-Yo Ma - Menuett (Bach) (from soundtrack to The Company)
Carlos Prieto-Courante from Suite no. 6 in D Major for solo cello (Bach)
Track 2
Yo-Yo Ma - Mumuki (Piazzolla)
Yo-Yo Ma - Sur - Regreso Al Amor (Piazzolla)
Links
Tango! conference, Radcliffe Institute
Special Thanx
to Radcliffe Institute for organizing Tango! conference, where I recorded Yo-yo Ma & Carlos Prieto speaking.
