Interesting Anecdote: Rodolfo Biagi, D’Arienzo’s pianist from approximately 1935-1938, was apparently fired by D’Arienzo after a superb performance by the pianist. D’Arienzo whispered to Biagi’s ear “I’m the only star in my orchestra and your fired!”.
Interesting Anecdote: Donato was famously absent-minded. One time riding the tram, he became so engrossed in a conversation with a friend that when they got off the tram and walked for while, he realized he had forgotten something important on the tram: his wife!
Interesting Anecdote: We have all heard of the duo Tanturi-Campos. Did you know that Campos’ real name was Enrique Troncone and always performed under the stage name Ruiz. To avoid any confusion with Fresedo’s Ricardo Ruiz, Tanturi opened a random page of the telephone directory and renamed him Enrique Campos!
Interesting Anecdote: We’ve all heard of the Orquesta Tipica Victor “OTV”. Unlike other orchestras, OTV was an in-house orchestra that never performed in public; the members and leaders always changed according to who was available at the time of recording. The orchestra recorded between 1925 – 1944.
Interesting Anecdote: Robert Duvall was a big fan of D’Agostino-Vargas and DiSarli. He features 3 and 4 tracks, respectively, on his movie “Assassination Tango”
Interesting Anecdote: If it wasn’t for Astor Piazzolla’s father, Astor would have had the same fate as Gardel. When Gardel was about to leave for his next tour, he invited Astor to join them. His father said no, telling him he was too young. This was the fateful tour in which Gardel and his entourage were lost. In later years Piazzolla would say that were it not for his father “I would be playing the harp, not the bandoneon.” A.W.
Interesting Anecdote: When we listen to the different Orchestras at the Milongas today, we never realize that most of these musicians started their careers very young, either teaching, traveling or making money in local cafes. The following is a list of some of the musicians and the early age they started: D’Agostino (8), Demare (9), D’Arienzo (11), Biagi (13), De Angelis (13), DiSarli (13), Troilo (13), Pugliese (15), Lomuto (15).
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