Quartsemble

Quartsemble: Tango

by Alexander M. Stern
November 20, 2007

Tango, as a musical form, originated during the late 19th century in Argentina and Uruguay among European immigrant populations. It derived its unique rhythms and sound from several different kinds of European dance music, including polkas, mazurkas, and flamenco, as well as Latin American musical styles like milonga and habanera. It is traditionally played by groups consisting of two violins, a piano, a double-bass, and two bandoneóns (a free reed instrument resembling an accordion or concertina, although unlike an accordion ...