For my third Hybrid Highbrow podcast I have assembled a collection of tango pieces written by late-19th and early 20th-century classical composers. They include Albéniz, Shostakovich, Milhaud, Mompou, Stravinsky, Satie, and Poulenc. Listening to these wonderful compositions, and reading up on the history of tango, I am struck by the explosive impact that this genre had on the musical and cultural world. Suddenly here was a uniquely gorgeous dance form that compelled the classical music scene to take notice and respond. That they did, with pieces that remain as fresh as when they were composed.
I’ve also added two fire-breathing renditions of Ángel Villoldo’s formative 1903 tango song El Choclo. Enjoy!
