1  

Jay Byrnes Final DMA Recital Saxophone Semester 6

13th April 2016 7.00pm

‘El Asunto del Tango’

figure  1.  

Associate Artists Daniel Rojas – Piano Michael Kluger – Accordion Isabella Brown – Double Bass Carmen Nieves – Alto Saxophone Ben Carey – Soprano Saxophone Nathan Henshaw – Tenor Saxophone Michael Duke – Baritone Saxophone  

  2  

Program

1. From the Guardia Vieja to La Epoca de Oro

Anibal Troilo (1914-1975) Che, Bandoneon (1950)

Alto Saxophone, Accordion, Piano Arr. Jay Byrnes, Michael Kluger

Carlos Gardel (1890-1935)

Volver (1935) Baritone Saxophone, Piano

Arr. Jay Byrnes, Daniel Rojas

Gerardo Matos Rodríguez (1897-1948) La Cumparsita (1916)

Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Piano Arr. Jay Byrnes, Fernando Muslera

Julián Plaza (1928-2003)

Nocturna Soprano Saxophone, Accordion, Piano, Double Bass

Arr. Jay Byrnes

2. Nuevo Tango – The genius of Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) Soledad (1969)

Baritone Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Accordion, Piano, Double Bass Arr. Jay Byrnes, C. Nieves

Libertango (1974)

Baritone Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Accordion, Piano, Double Bass Arr. Jay Byrnes

Resurrección del Angel (1969)

Baritone Saxophone and Saxophone Quartet Arr. Jay Byrnes

3. Vanguardia – Tango’s Future

Fernando Lerman (b. 1965)

Entongue Tango (2015) Baritone Saxophone, Accordion

Jorge Retamoza (b. 1958)

Estudio no.1 (2014) Alto Saxophone

Fernando Muslera (b.1975)

Nostalgia City (2015) Baritone Saxophone, Piano

Arr. Fernando Muslera

 

  3  

Acknowledgements

I would like express my sincere gratitude to all those who made this DMA possible.

A doctoral recital is no small undertaking and without the support and commitment

from a number of people, this work could not have been achieved.

Firstly, a huge thank you to my performance supervisor, Dr. Michael Duke

who has been a great educator, supporter, advisor and friend over the past 3 and a

half years.

I am indebted to all the performers involved in this program and previous

performances, Dr. Daniel Rojas, Michael Kluger, Bella Brown, Nathan Henshaw, Ben

Carey, Michael Duke for their time and valuable musical skills. My sincere gratitude

must also go to Fernando Lerman, Jorge Retamoza and Fernando Muslera who

wrote such fabulous works for this project.

Thank you to all my family and friends who have been incredibly supportive

throughout this period of my life.

A very special thanks must go to my wife Carmen Nieves. Aside from her

stunning performance and incredible skills for arranging, her constant support and

patience have enabled this huge undertaking to be achieved.

  4  

Preface

This recital represents three and a half years of study and research in the field

of tango performance, with a focus on the adaptation of the genre for the classical

saxophonist. The saxophone has adapted a large body of repertoire originally

intended for other instruments since its invention. These adaptations have sculpted

the saxophone’s repertoire to date. Functioning as ways of expanding repertoire, as

educational devices and to project the instrument to composers this body of

repertoire has helped shape saxophonists into informed musicians.

Saxophonists of varying backgrounds have sought to understand and

perform the diverse cultures and traditions of Latin American music including the

Argentinian tango. The dance heritage and nostalgic nature of the music has

spawned great interest in the classical community and led to tango programmed in

solo, chamber and orchestral concerts. Adaptations of tangos have offered

saxophonists the opportunity to access to this exciting music.

This recital presents a further understanding of tango performance for

saxophonists, obtained from my critical study and research during this degree. A

number of significant mediums have been used to achieve this including the

investigation into the conventions and history of transcription; a comprehensive

interpretation of stylistic practices, exploration of schizophonic mimesis (the term Feld

(1994) employs to refer to the phenomena that occurs when a cultural artefact is

removed from it’s original source and utilised elsewhere) and, an assessment of

saxophone techniques and their possible implementation into the style of tango.

This program displays tango performance on the saxophone in numerous

guises, through collaborations, personal arrangements and new works. The

performance is presented in three parts: From Guardia Vieja to La Epoca de Oro; Nuevo

Tango; and Vanguardia – Tango’s Future.

  5  

PART 1. ‘From the Guardia Vieja to La Epoca de Oro’

The first installment of this recital comprises works written during the

tango’s first 70 years. Encompassing music from the Guardia Vieja (Old Guard) (1880-

1915) to the La Epoca de Oro (Golden Age) (1940-1955) of tango. It features some of the

most influential tango composers and bandleaders of the genres history.

The Guardia Vieja era emerged from the formative years of tango where the

influences of the Cuban Habanera, the milonga, the introduction of the Andalusian

tango from Spain, the importance of the payadas (music from the interior of

Argentina), and the value of African slave rhythms, all had a large influence on the

creation of tango. The divergence of the tango from the milonga through the use of

the distinguishable marcado rhythm is considered the true beginning of the tango and

occurred during the Guardia Vieja era. (Salgan 2001: 22-23).

During this time the tango began to be performed in peringundines, a type of

café where waitresses could be hired as dancers and presumably prostitutes.

Subsequently tango was transported to the more unsavory parts of Buenos Aires, the

bordellos.

It was during the Guardia Vieja that the bandoneon became part of what

would be labeled the orquesta típica criolla, the common tango orchestra. The

bandoneon was initially designed as a portable church organ for German

congregations and later brought to Buenos Aires by German immigrants.

Tango was transported into the homes of the population through the

invention of the phonograph towards the end of the Guardia Vieja era. These

recordings brought tango from a marginalised social environment to the broader

audiences who were beginning to embrace this genre.

In 1917 Carlos Gardel recorded his first tango song and the tango canción was

born. Tango Canción added a dimension of nostalgia and longing to a genre that had

been predominantly humorous and rhythmic. Gardel used fraseo (a way of shaping

the melody) and emotive lyrics to develop the tango from a dance into a powerful

musical expression that typified the Argentinian people.

A newfound respect for tango within Buenos Aires was established between

1925-1940 due to its international success. This era is considered La Nueva Guardia

(the New Guard). During this time classically trained musicians began to take the

  6  

tango into new complexity, bringing about a more formal musical framework and a

new virtuosic quality.

Julian De Caro was a bandoneonist of great virtuosity; he introduced the

variación to the form of the tango. The variación is a cadenza-like passage of rapid

notes; that displays virtuosity at the end of the tango. De Caro also brought a new

approach to lyricism through his flexible and expressive phrasing known as fraseo

extendido, an exaggerated fraseo. At this time the orquesta típica became the staple

ensemble of instruments containing two violins, two bandoneons, piano and double

bass.

La Epoca de Oro, is a title used to retrospectively describe the period during

which tango was at it’s highest, between 1940 and 1955. It’s popularity was increased

by the nationalistic agenda of Argentinian President, General Perón during the

1940’s, which decreed that ‘All radio stations play Argentine music at least 50 per

cent of the time’ (Foster, M. Lockhart and D. Lockhart 1998: 124). La Epoca de Oro is

considered the time of the great orchestras and a time of great development.

The height of tango produced Great orchestras led by artists such as: Juan

D’Arienzo (1900-1976), Carlos Di Sarli (1903-1960), Aníbal Troilo (1914-1975), Alfredo

Gobbi (1912-1965), Osvaldo Pugliese (1905-1995) and Horacio Salgán (1916- ) and all

brought different elements to the tango creating their own distinct sounds.

  7  

Che, Bandoneon (1950) Anibal Troilo (1914-1975) (Arr. Jay Byrnes, Michael Kluger)

Che, Bandoneon was composed in 1950 by the great bandleader and

composer Anibal Troilo. It laments the grief faced in love and loss and portrays the

colour of the bandoneon as representative of this anguish.

Bandoneon, tonight is a fandango night, and I can confess you the truth, drink to drink, grief to grief, tango to tango packed into the madness of alcohol and bitterness…H. Manzi

This arrangement is a celebration of typical tango traits and traditions from

the Guardia Vieja through to the La Epoca de Oro. It opens with a tango Canción style

duet between the saxophone and accordion where the saxophone assumes the role of

vocalist.

During this time the rhythm of the melodic line would be altered to ‘phrase’

the musical idea, an approach known as fraseo. Rarely scored, it is controlled not by

the way in which the composer notates the melody but by how the performer adjusts

the rhythm of the melody to suit their musical sentence.

In this example we see the opening of Che, Bandoneon as scored and then as

performed using fraseo.

 figure  2.  

Embellishment is another trait typical of this period of tango and we can see this in

bars 2 and 4.

After the introduction, the arrangement displays the chorus and subsequent

material in its traditional setting, a dance where the saxophone takes the melody and

the piano and accordion accompany. It is at this point that the arrangement displays

the true strength and value of rhythm in tango.

Rhythm is highly prized within many Latin music genres. At a fundamental

level the use of syncopation and beat displacement are crucial to the rhythmic cells of

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Notated

Fraseo

Notated

fraseo ext

  8  

these styles. Tango, dissimilar to other dance genres does not conventionally use

percussion instruments to establish the rhythm, therefore the rhythmic cell is usually

produced by the accompanying instruments and bass line.

Unlike the flexibility of the melodic line in tango fraseo, rhythmic cells are

notated and are strictly adhered to. The tango has used and developed many types of

rhythmic cells in its history. Most common forms of these rhythmic cells are the

habanera, síncopa, and marcado.

Habanera       Síncopa         Marcado  

figure  3.         figure  4.         figure  5.    

All three of these rhythmic cells are displayed in the excerpt below. The

síncopa (notated differently) in bars 39-42., the marcado in bar 43, and the habanera in

bar 44.

figure  6.  

 

The final section of this arrangement presents the variación. The variación is a

virtuosic showing of the melody usually performed at the end of the tango work, as

the closing element to the structure. The variación was initially created by Julio de

Caro during the Nueva Guardia and became a typical element of the tango’s structure.

Michael Kluger composed the variación presented in this adaptation, with octave

adjustments by performer Jay Byrnes. The variación presents great virtuosity on

behalf of the saxophonist, as it requires control of the altissimo register, circular

breathing, rapid passages and flexibility.

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49

Figure 5.3 - Alves habanera variation chart (Alves 2002:156).

We see the most common variation of the habanera rhythm as variation 1 in the

graph. This rhythm is often referred to as the tresillo (in Cuban music) or the 3+3+2

pattern. The 3+3+2 pattern is created by tying the second note of the habanera cell to the

third, by doing so less strength is give to the 3rd quaver of the bar, creating more rhythmic

tension and syncopation.

The habanera rhythm The tresillo or 3+3+2

Figure 5.1 - Habanera rhythmic figure Figure 5.4 – The tresillo

Can also be notated as

Figure 5.5 – Tresillo alternate notation 1.

Or

Figure 5.6 – Tresillo alternate notation 2.

Looking at Alves’ graph once again we see Variation 2 as the subsequent common

rhythmic cell used. This is called the syncopa rhythm.

Beat 1 2 1Habanera

Variation.1

Variation.2

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50

Figure 5.7 – Syncopa rhythmic figure.

This rhythm creates syncopation by adding a strong note on the second semiquaver of the

bar. In this way it differs greatly to the 3+3+2 as the syncopa creates rhythmic tension with

the addition of a note where the 3+3+2 is subtracting notes.

Salgán stresses that the introduction of the ‘four’ enabled the tango to be

distinguishable from its relative the milonga. He points out that, ‘The transcending change

of accompaniment occurred when the accompaniment of four beats alternated with the

Habanera rhythm’ (Salgán 2001: 22-23).

The marcado is the placement of one note on each quaver of the bar, notated as such.9

Figure 5.8 – Descending line featuring the Marcado rhythm.

The marcado is a non-syncopated rhythm that emphasises importance to each beat of the

bar. It is important to clarify early that the Spanish word marcado meaning marked should

not be confused with the Italian word marcato also meaning marked. The Italian term is

used in music to signify an approach to articulation, whereas the Spanish marcado is used

to represent a rhythmic cell. Marcado rhythms are often performed with marcato

articulation, particularly on beats one and three but do not necessarily require it.

Vega informs us, the first recorded use of the tango marcado is seen in the orchestra

of Eduardo Arolas:

The analysed recordings of this orchestra present peculiarities in their performance which distinguish it from other [orchestas típicas]…..it’s the unmistakeable scheme of four eight[h] notes in its rhythmic foundations, generally played without emphasis. (as cited in Salgán 2001: 23)

9 Originally tango music was scored in the metre 2/4. This metre came from the influence of the Cuban Habanera, always scored in 2/4. With the introduction of the ‘four’ otherwise labelled the marcado the tango was then converted to 4/8. Whilst arguably 2/4 and 4/8 are considered to be the same as they are both divided into 4 quavers, the 4/8 time signature gives a clearer indication to the performer that the music should be felt in 4 rather than that of 2. Nowadays the tango uses the time signature of 4/4.

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Score

50

Figure 5.7 – Syncopa rhythmic figure.

This rhythm creates syncopation by adding a strong note on the second semiquaver of the

bar. In this way it differs greatly to the 3+3+2 as the syncopa creates rhythmic tension with

the addition of a note where the 3+3+2 is subtracting notes.

Salgán stresses that the introduction of the ‘four’ enabled the tango to be

distinguishable from its relative the milonga. He points out that, ‘The transcending change

of accompaniment occurred when the accompaniment of four beats alternated with the

Habanera rhythm’ (Salgán 2001: 22-23).

The marcado is the placement of one note on each quaver of the bar, notated as such.9

Figure 5.8 – Descending line featuring the Marcado rhythm.

The marcado is a non-syncopated rhythm that emphasises importance to each beat of the

bar. It is important to clarify early that the Spanish word marcado meaning marked should

not be confused with the Italian word marcato also meaning marked. The Italian term is

used in music to signify an approach to articulation, whereas the Spanish marcado is used

to represent a rhythmic cell. Marcado rhythms are often performed with marcato

articulation, particularly on beats one and three but do not necessarily require it.

Vega informs us, the first recorded use of the tango marcado is seen in the orchestra

of Eduardo Arolas:

The analysed recordings of this orchestra present peculiarities in their performance which distinguish it from other [orchestas típicas]…..it’s the unmistakeable scheme of four eight[h] notes in its rhythmic foundations, generally played without emphasis. (as cited in Salgán 2001: 23)

9 Originally tango music was scored in the metre 2/4. This metre came from the influence of the Cuban Habanera, always scored in 2/4. With the introduction of the ‘four’ otherwise labelled the marcado the tango was then converted to 4/8. Whilst arguably 2/4 and 4/8 are considered to be the same as they are both divided into 4 quavers, the 4/8 time signature gives a clearer indication to the performer that the music should be felt in 4 rather than that of 2. Nowadays the tango uses the time signature of 4/4.

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Score

  9  

 figure  7.  

Volver (1935) Carlos Gardel (1890-1935) (Arr. Jay Byrnes and Daniel Rojas)

Carlos Gardel composed Volver in 1935 for the one-act play Cuesta abajo by

Argentinian Gabriela Fiore. The play challenges the disguises that two individuals

adopt in the search for love, presenting insight into the complications of love later in

life. The screenplay was developed into a movie in which Gardel plays opposite the

famous American actress Rita Heyworth.

Gardel sings Volver, meaning to Return, in the movie during his farewell to

the seductive yet evil woman. He sings of a plural meaning to the phrase ‘Volver’ as

he is returning to his homeland to wait for his true and loyal love and yet ‘Al fin y al

cabo, todavía puedo volver….viente años no es nada’ (In the end, I can always return,

twenty years is nothing).

Gardel’s influence on tango and its subsequent movement to the public eye

was so unprecedented that he is now revered as an Argentinian icon. The 11th

December was made a national holiday to commemorate his birth and for many

Argentinians, ‘he represents the ideal man, personifying the rise of tango itself from

its roots in the arrabal to the heights of fashionable society’. (Azzi 1995: 122)

The version of Volver presented for this recital was arranged and adapted by

Jay Byrnes and Daniel Rojas and features on Jay Byrnes’ debut album El Asunto del

tango. The adaptation is influenced by the diverse musical backgrounds, cultures and

histories that encompass Latin America.

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  10  

Opening with a piano improvisation, the adaptation features pianist Daniel

Rojas. Rojas is an Australian composer and performer with Peruvian and Chilean

heritage. Regarded as a leader in the field of Latin American music interpretation,

Rojas brings his Latin culture to the fore in the introduction of the adaptation.

Throughout this improvisation Rojas harks on many Latin American styles that have

influenced his writings, and performance. Folkloric, indigenous, and popular music

all make an appearance.

The first verse is presented by the baritone saxophone and piano in a recitativo

fashion, characteristic of Gardel’s original interpretation. The saxophone uses a

combination of fraseo and simple rhythmic patterns to evoke the spoken word of this

verse. With this subtle yet effective method the saxophone voice embodies the lyrics.

Yo Adivino el parpadeo

De las luces que a lo lejos,

Van marcando mi retorno ….

Son las mismas que alumbraron,

Con sus palidos reflejos

Hondas horas de dolor…

I imagine the flickering

Of the lights that in the distance

Will be marking my return

They’re the same that lit

With their pale reflections

Deep hours of pain….

The chorus brings a twist in the adaptation where saxophone and piano

launch into a Venezuelan Vals inspired interpretation of the famous tango. The

Venezuelan Vals is unique to Latin American waltzes as it features the hemiola of

duple and triple figures found in the combination of ¾ and 6/8 time. Most Latin

American waltzes developed from the immigration of the Spanish people. They

brought with them the European waltz which over time fused with the folk music of

the region. The Venezuelan Vals is an idiomatic waltz that features the hemiola

founded in Venezuelan Joropo music. (Standich 1995: 283)

The adaptation continues with a unique and exciting piano interpretation of

the verse performed in a Vals Peruano style. The Vals Peruano, otherwise known as

the vals criollo developed in Lima in the 1920s and according to Lloréns, found its

musical roots in popular European styles as well as the mestizo musical forms such as

pregones tristes and Afro-Peruvian styles of the Central coast. (Yep 1993: 269).

Through the exploration of both the Venezuelan and Peruvian waltzes this

adaptation presents an exciting multi-cultural approach to a famous tango. The

  11  

adaptation concludes with a true tango marcado style, where the saxophone mimics

the performance of Gardel.

This adaptation is improvised in performance, creating an exhilarating and

daring performance experience.

 La Cumparsita (1917) Gerardo Matos Rodríguez (1897-1948)  (Arr. Jay Byrnes and Fernando Muslera)

La Cumparsita is one of the most recorded and performed tango compositions

of all time. Initially a simple march by the Uruguayan Gerardo Matos Rodriguez in

1917, it was inspired by music played by student groups called comparsas or murgas

throughout Montevideo. Thanks to Roberto Firpo’s interpretation the work became a

tango and although from Uruguay, La Cumparsita symbolizes the tango of Buenos

Aires1.

Since 1917, La Cumparsita has been adapted into other genres and arranged

for many combinations of instruments. Many famous tango names such as Virpy,

Gardel, Troillo and Piazzolla have adapted the music and brought something new to

the work. Such attention to this simple tune has led it becoming a symbol of tango.

The arrangement featured in today’s recital is a combination of two versions

arranged for saxophone, one by Argentinian composer, performer and arranger

Fernando Muslera and the other by Jay Byrnes. The opening cadenza is a reduced

version of Byrnes’ original adaptation made in 2015 for the album ‘El Asunto del

Tango’.

This arrangement was inspired by Ruggiero Ricci’s famous solo recording of

Argentinian violinist Vincent Zito arrangement. Establishing an approach that could

imitate the violin effects yet keep the integrity of the tango brought new challenges

to the adaption of this famous work.

Double-stops, lack of breathing options and range were all standard

adaptation considerations that needed solutions.

                                                                                                               1  Originally a carnival march not a tango and sold for a very small amount of pesos, Roberto Firpo turned it into a tango and began performing it throughout Argentina. It would be performed by tango greats such as Gardel and taken to Paris where it hit the world stage. Not credited for the composition of the work until the 1970s Rodriguez has never truly received the fame that his humble carnival march has.  

  12  

The use of tremolo in the opening phrase allows for the essential notes of the

chords from the 3rd quaver upbeat to be perceived and also brings a new forward

driven element to the adaptation.

figure 8.

In other areas of the adaptation the solo saxophone version takes the essential

melodic notes and abandons the harmonic function of the double stop. Where

possible the use of a grace note allows for the important harmonic line to be heard

whilst not upsetting the melodic shape.

figure 9.

Muslera’s arrangement of La Cumparsita is presented after the opening

cadenza. Muslera’s trio version for soprano saxophone, alto saxophone and piano

was adapted in 2015 for premiere at the World Saxophone Congress in Strasbourg.

At this premiere the Duo Nuñez-Muslera, an Argentinian saxophone and piano duo

featuring Fernando Muslera and Diego Nuñez performed the work alongside

celebrated Dutch saxophonist Arno Bornkamp.

Muslera effectively creates a new and exciting interpretation of this classic

tango while still acknowledging and referencing two of the greatest arrangers of the

work, Leopoldo Federico (1928-2014) and Anibal Troilo (1914-1975). The reference

to Federico’s arrangement is presented at the very beginning of Muslera’s adaptation

where he begins with a strong marcado feel in the piano. The performer is indicated

to perform this marcado pesante and with the use of accents on the 1st and 3rd beats, the

performer can create a yumba phrasing.

figure 10.

& bb 84Alto Saxjœœ@ jœœ@ jœœ@

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22 œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ jœœ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

3

La CumparsitaGerardo Rodriguez

©2014

Score

Jay Byrnes, Vicente Zito, Ruggiero RicciFor solo saxophone

& bb 84Alto Saxjœœ@ jœœ@ jœœ@

e = 100

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9

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& bbA. Sx.

11 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ rœ Jœ œ œ Jœ

& bbA. Sx.

13

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14

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22 œ œn œ œ œ œ œ œ œb œ jœœ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

3

La CumparsitaGerardo Rodriguez

©2014

Score

Jay Byrnes, Vicente Zito, Ruggiero RicciFor solo saxophone

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  13  

The most direct connection between Muslera’s adaptation and Federico’s

interpretation is the counter melody performed by the soprano saxophone at bar 45.

figure 11.

This melody presented by the violin in Federico’s version is performed freely

and with great use of fraseo. Here the soprano saxophonist is instructed that this

melody is a rhapsody, and therefore to be played in a ‘story telling’ way.

Troilo’s influence on this adaptation can be seen in the subtle alto saxophone

melody at bar 68 that passes on to the meno mosso lyrical melody in the soprano at

bar 75. This is a direct quotation from Troilo’s version:

Alto figure 12.

Soprano   figure 13.

Muslera’s exciting adaptation concludes with Luis Moresco’s (1925) famous variación

presented in a canonic form by the soprano and alto saxophones. Salgán believes that

Moresco’s variation of La Cumparsita is the most famous of all variations. (Salgán

2001: 41)

figure 14.

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56

Glissandi are also used frequently on the piano either in contrary motion leading to a

down beat, or chromatically between two notes of a melody.

Figure 5.16 – Glissando notation. (Salgán 2001: 88)

The variación

Julio de Caro was the first musician to introduce the variación (variaciones, plural) into the

tango, as Finkielman informs us: ‘According to Luis Adolfo Sierra and other tango

historians, the de Caro orchestra marked a real revolution in tango playing. The orchestra

incorporated new musical techniques such as the variations’ (Finkielman 1970: 92). The

variación is a virtuosic showing of the melody usually performed at the end of the tango

work, as the closing element in the structure. Traditionally performed by the bandoneon,

the variaciones brought a new virtuosic skill set to the orquesta típicas of La Nueva Guardia

(1925-1940), leading into the La Epoca de Oro (1940-1955). By the end of the La Epoca de Oro

the variaciones were being performed by all four bandoneons of the orquesta and created a

veritable climax to the end of the work.

Salgán believes that Moresco’s variation of La Cumparsita is the most famous of all

variations. (Salgán, 2001: 41). A fragment of the variation is illustrated here in Figure 5.17

Figure 5.17 – Excerpt from Luis Moresco’s Variation – ‘La Cumparsita’.

Articulation

Articulation is another important element to the expression of tango music. Articulation

refers to the way a note is started, that is the attack of the beginning of the note. With the

use of various articulation methods we can express music in different ways from smooth,

to short and detached, and also emphasised. Terms such as staccato (short), tenuto (long)

& # # # c œ œ œ œ# œ#3 Ó œ œ ! ! ! !

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©

Score

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©

Score

  14  

Nocturna (1917) Julián Plaza (1897-1948) (Arr. Jay Byrnes)

Nocturna was composed in 1917 by Julián Plaza and is iconic of both his style

and the music of the Guardia Vieja. This tango features the habanera rhythm

throughout in both the piano and bass parts. The habanera is not just a rhythmic

motive but also a contour, demonstrated here in this example from the bass part.

figure 15.

The use of the habanera rhythm and contour throughout the work is very

characteristic of tangos of the time. The habanera rhythm was most commonly found

in milonga’s in the last quarter of the 19th Century. A style of dance found in the Rio

de Plata area of Argentina and Uruguay the milonga is considered a ‘cousin of the

tango’, as they both shared this rhythmic cell at the time. (Salgán 2001:22).

What differentiates the tango from the milonga in this case is the use of the

arrastre, seen throughout the piano, accordion and bass parts. The arrastre is an

ornamental technique that creates tension and release leading up to the down-beat of

a bar. Literally meaning ‘to drag’ in Spanish, the term denotes the gesture of the

dancers as they slide their feet to the strong beat of the bar. For the double bass

player bowing the arrastre, the performer uses a down-bows at the frog end of the

bow, as demonstrated by Isabella’s performance today.

Today’s arrangement passes the melody around the group to establish the

true chamber music nature of this work. Finishing with a chaotic presentation of the

chromatic melody in diminished 5ths.

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? b58 œ> ! œ# œn œn œ> ! œ# œn œ# ‰ Jœ ‰ JœF‰ Jœ ‰ Jœ œ> ! œ œ œ

fœ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ

? b n# #66 œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ ! œ œ œ œ œ> œ œ> "

? # #75 œ> Œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ œ> ! œ œ œ

Arranged for J.Byrnes and El Asunto del Tango

Nocturna Julian Plaza(1897-1948)

Transcribed & edited by Jay Byrnes

©2016 Saxophone Academy Sydney

Double Bass

Intro

  15  

PART 2. Nuevo Tango – The Genius of Piazzolla

The scene was set for Piazzolla to evolve the tango. In 1955 Perón the

Argentinian President was ousted, marking the end of the great Epoca de Oro. The

change to Argentina’s political climate had a catastrophic effect on tango, generally

losing favour with the population. It had become known as a nationalistic music

through its connection with Argentinean culture and signified all that was Perón’s

political party. The conditions were ripe for a new tango that challenged the

traditional style and transported the music from popular music to art music.

Piazzolla is undoubtedly the greatest exponent of this time.

Piazzolla’s unique style was the combination of jazz, classical (specifically

baroque) and avant-garde music. Originally a highly regarded bandoneon player

Piazzolla had played with the biggest names of tango during La Epoca de Oro such as

Aníbal Troilo. During the early 1950’s, Piazzolla began losing interest in the

declining genre and so concentrated his energies on developing his compositional

skills within the classical genre. Initially studying with the great Argentinean

composer Alberto Ginestera (1916-1983) and then traveling to Paris to study with

Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979). This had a significant impact on Piazzolla and led to

the historical development of tango now known as Nuevo Tango. Boulanger was

unconvinced by Piazzolla’s traditional classical approach and urged him to master

the music in which he had developed a solid foundation.

Piazzolla went on to develop his style creating a complex avant-garde

approach to rhythmic morphing. He utilized standard tango rhythmic structures and

experimented with them in unusual meters. This in part created the Piazzolla sound

but also divided the Argentinean tango enthusiasts, as the melodies, metre and form

were so unfamiliar to tango dance. Over time Piazzolla became a national icon of

Argentina throughout the world and subsequently was is accepted in his homeland.

  16  

Soledad (1969) Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) (Arr. Jay Byrnes and Carmen Nieves)

Piazzolla composed Soledad (solitude) as part of the Silfo y Ondina suite, for

the famous Argentinian choreographer Oscar Arraiz in 1969. Silfo y Ondina is a ballet

suite that includes two works heavily influenced by classical music Fugata and

Tangata (word plays on the combination of Tango, Fugue and Sonata). In between

the two highly energetic works sit Soledad, arguably the most beautiful, moving and

heartfelt work by the great tango composer.

The use of long extended melodies over a repetitive simple accompaniment

accentuates the sombre and lonely nature of the work. The work was originally

composed for Astor Piazzolla’s Quintet of violin (Simón Bajour), electric guitar

(Horacio Malvicino), bandoneon (Piazzolla), piano (Jaime Gosis) and double bass

(Kicho Díaz). The Quintet was formed in 1963 on Piazzolla’s return to Argentina

from Paris, and was perhaps his most successful ensemble.

Soledad begins with a soaring bandoneon melody that in this arrangement

has been passed to the baritone saxophone. The counter melody of the piano is

played very softly to allow the saxophone to sing in the upper register at a soft

dynamic. A wide slow vibrato is used to accentuate the weight of the music.

Range is one of the great challenges for any adaptation. In this version of

Soledad, the usual bandoneon melody line exceeds the range of the baritone

saxophone. The saxophone has a limited range of two and a half octaves. While the

saxophone is constructed this way, it is capable of producing a higher register known

as the altissimo. The altissimo, translated as ‘very high’ is the register above the keyed

range and is used by over-blowing specific fingerings to target a higher harmonic of

the note. The altissimo register has become a staple technique amongst well-

developed performers and is now highly featured in advanced repertoire.

This arrangement uses the altissimo register frequently in baritone saxophone

part, particularly in the final statement of the theme to approach the registers of the

bandoneon, violin and electric guitar that were part of the original instrumentation.

The Baritone saxophone is the featured instrument of this arrangement,

performing the violin solo and guitar solos in the second theme.

To conclude the arrangement the baritone saxophone plays a multiphonic.

This multiphonic is used to evoke the anguish one feels in true solitude.

  17  

Libertango (1979) Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) (Arr. Jay Byrnes and Carmen Nieves)

Libertango is perhaps Piazzolla’s most famous work and has undergone

innumerable incarnations since its creation. The work’s driving rhythm is addictive

to audiences and the simple yet effective melody that sits above evokes the nostalgia

of tango. The arrangement heard today features 3 saxophones (2 players), accordion,

piano and double bass.

An important element to tango is the use of percussive sounds as tools for

communicating expression, rhythm and articulation. These sounds known as yeites

are essential to the genre. Tango, unlike other dance genres does not conventionally

use percussion to establish the rhythm. Monk explains the lack of percussion

instruments in the tango ensemble:

Tango is such a rhythmic genre in itself that paradoxically it does not always call for

additional percussion. Its rhythm is actually created and established by each one of

the instruments included in the ensemble. (Monk 2013: 25)

These yeites do not only support the rhythm but are used in an improvised

way to bring spontaneity to the music. While each tango instrument brings its own

set of yeites to the music, it is important to note that they also share and mimic each

other.

The baritone saxophone’s uses a slap tongue at the beginning of the work to

emphasis the strong pizzicato performed by the double bass. Slap tongue has long

been a technique used by saxophonists to mimic this string technique. Cottrell

explains: ‘another technique the saxophone can adopt is the slap tongue, which is a

form of percussive attack similar to the string pizzicato. (Cottrell 2013: 158)

Aside from the slap tongue at the opening, decisions had to be made to tackle

the string tango techniques (yeites) such as chicharra (scraping the over the bridge),

látigo (glissandi), tambor (percussive pizzicato) and strapatta (ricochet bow attack) that

feature in the violin part throughout Libertango. In this adaptation the soprano

saxophone adopts the violin part. The soprano saxophone entrance features an

octave slide from low f# that emulates the violin látigo. To achieve this the saxophone

player slowly moves the fingers as they adjust the oral cavity. This technique is

useful to mimic the flexibility of violin playing in tango. The soprano also uses slap

  18  

tongue at the end of the work, however with a different function. Rather than trying

to imitate the pizzicato, in this circumstance, the soprano uses a strong slap at the

beginning of the note in reference to the violin tambor.

Resurrección del Angel (1965) Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) (Arr. Jay Byrnes)

Piazzolla composed Resurrección del Angel in 1965. He had long been writing

pieces that were influenced by angels and devils. A religious man, Piazzolla often

referenced these esoteric ideas in his music. Resurrección del Angel became the final

movement of his Suite del Ángel (The Angel Suite). The suite containing 5 pieces was

not initially intended as a suite, but was a series of separate compositions and

commissions.

In 1957, Piazzolla had written a Tango del Ángel, one of the first examples of

Piazzolla’s evolution/revolution of the tango. In 1962, he was contact by Alberto

Rodríguez Muñoz for permission to use his Tango del Ángel in his play El tango del

angel and to commission several new works Introducción, Milonga del Angel, and La

Muerte del Angel. Three years later, in 1965, Piazzolla decided to compose a final

movement to this suite, known as the Resurrección del Angel.

Jay Byrnes completed the arrangement for solo baritone saxophone and

saxophone quartet in 2016. A continually evolving adaptation, the influence initially

came from Emilio Colon’s version for Cello Quartet. Commissioned in 2015 by Niels

Bijl for the Baritone Institute in the Alsace Region, France, Jay Byrnes arranged the

cello quartet version for baritone saxophone ensemble. Joan-Martí Frasquier SP

premiered the adaptation as soloist at the event with Jay Byrnes as conductor of an

ensemble of nine (9) baritone saxophones.

At the beginning of 2016 the adaptation evolved further. The new version for

solo alto saxophone and saxophone orchestra was made for Portuguese saxophonist

Fernando Ramos and the Sydney Saxophone Collective.

Today you see the fourth incarnation of this adaptation featuring solo

baritone saxophone and saxophone quartet. The solo parts fraseo that would

normally be interpreted by the soloist has been notated in this adaptation. This

ensures that the fraseo is achieved in the stylistic way and makes it possible for

  19  

someone not adept to tango phrasing to perform the work. Here is an example of

this:

figure 16.

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Resurrección Del Angelfor Orchestra of Saxophones Astor Piazzolla

(1921-1992)Transcribed & edited by Jay Byrnes and

Emilio Colón

Copyright ©2015, Saxophone Academy Sydney.All Rights Reserved

SAS 0316

Alto Saxophone Solo

  20  

PART 3. Vanguardia – Tango’s Future

The saxophone has not had a prized place within the tango ensemble over the

tango’s history. Piazzolla famously quoted:

I enjoyed how the Stan Kenton orchestra sounded, the rhythm it had, that was what I wanted to do, work similar harmonie but with a difference: in place of brass I had strings and bandoneons. When I used trumpets, trombones, and saxes, it was horrendous. (Gorin 2001: 47)

Piazzollla would later perform tangos with baritone saxophonist Gerry

Mulligan, without doubt the largest defining moment of saxophone in tango music’s

history to date.

In recent years saxophonists, particularly from classical backgrounds, have

adopted arrangements of tango works and begun to include them in programs.

These arrangements have led to Argentinian composers of today to composing

works for saxophone in the style. Most notably, Bernando Monk and his tango

orchestra, Juan Maria Solare, Jorge Retamoza, Fernando Lerman and Duo Nuñez-

Muslera, have created a large and ever growing repertoire of new tango works for

saxophonists.

The influence of adaptations on new repertoire has been an integral part of

the saxophone repertoire list since its invention. Adolphe Sax (1814-1894) himself

used arrangements to promote the saxophone to composers that he thought could

raise the instrument to a broad acceptance and critical acclaim.

The final instalment of this recital illustrates the exciting direction that tango

saxophone music is headed in. Three works by diverse composers show a new future

for tango, with saxophone at the fore.

Entongue Tango (2015) Fernando Lerman (1965)

Entongue tango was commissioned by Jay Byrnes in 2014 for his debut album

‘El Asunto del Tango’ . Lerman and Byrnes met i when Jay Byrnes was invited to

give a masterclass and performance at the Conservatorio Astor Piazzolla in Buenos

Aires by Emiliano Barri. After hearing Jay Byrnes’ unique and exciting adaptation of

  21  

La Cumparsita for solo alto saxophone, Lerman began sketches for an exhilarating

tango that would challenge the boundaries and yet still reference the tango tradition.

Written for the baritone saxophone and accordion, the work starts with the

baritone saxophone in its usual function as a bass instrument. Instruction is given to

the performer to mimic the double bass tango style through the staccato/tenuto

articulation.

figure 17.

The accordion performs the melody until figure A where the baritone takes

over the agitated theme. Here the extensive use of articulation ensures the performer

adopts the tango’s rhythmic nature.

figure 18.

Multiphonics are used early in the introduction of the main theme. A

multiphonic is the production of more than one note at a time. Which by ‘using

certain fingerings, several sounds can be produced simultaneously’ (Delangle and

Michat 1998: 180). The use of the multiphonic enhances the aggression of the theme

and also simulates the dissonance of the accordion. As Monk states ‘This technique

can be used to imitate or join in the clusters of the bandoneon’ (2013: 122).

After the aggressive opening theme, a beautiful and nostalgic melody is

introduced by the bandoneon. Lerman labels this section of the work as Dolce e rubato

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  22  

and is referencing the Tango Canción style, particularly the lyrical nature of Carlos

Gardel. The Baritone saxophone is passed the melody which similar to the

Resurrección arrangement, fraseo has been notated.

figure 19.

By notating the fraseo through the use of triplets and syncopation, Lerman is

ensuring that the melody is played with correct tango phrasing.

A solo cadenza transports this beautiful tango canción melody back to a

restatement of the first theme, however this time containing a virtuosic unison

variación at the conclusion of the work.

Estudio no.1 (2014) Jorge Retamoza (1958)

Jorge Retamoza is a jazz trained saxophonist based in Buenos Aires who has

become regarded as a highly skilled exponent of tango performance on the

saxophone. In 2014 during the process of composing Estudio no.1, Retamoza released

one of the greatest resources for any saxophonist wanting to perform tango. His

book El Tango – Desde el Saxo. The book is a reference and method book that guides

the reader through the different musical and technical skills required for the

performance of tango on the saxophone.

Estudio no.1 is Retamoza’s first tango study for solo saxophone. The work

features a Piazzolla influenced opening that requires great technical proficiency. The

work features the use of the altissimo range as well as double tonguing.

Double-tonguing, otherwise known as double staccato is a tool used by

saxophonists in many tango adaptations to articulate at great speed. These

adaptations are a clear inspiration for Retamoza’s Estudio no.1. It is achieved by

alternating the tongues connection with the reed and the roof of the mouth.

Retamoza uses the technique regularly in his own performance to create excitement

and clarity. Monk provides the following instructions for double tonguing: ‘The tip

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  23  

of the tongue is placed on the tip of the reed and the back of the tongue is placed

against the palate.’ (Monk 2013: 24).

Throughout the cadenza section Retamoza includes slap tongues to mimic the tambor

of a violin.

figure 20.

Estudio no.1 is now available with a piano accompaniment however, the

version presented today is the original for solo saxophone.

Nostalgia City (2015) Fernando Muslera (1975)

Commissioned in 2014, Nostalgia City was originally composed for Baritone

saxophone and accordion as part of Jay Byrnes El Asunto del Tango project. Muslera

has extensive experience working with and composing for saxophone through the

Duo Nuñez-Muslera project, a duo featuring Argentinian saxophonist Diego Nuñez

and Fernando Muslera on piano. For this work Byrnes requested a work that would

push the boundaries and adopt avant-garde influences combined with the tradition

tango approach. Muslera was able to use techniques such as slap tongue,

multiphonics, altissimo; key clicks effectively due to his knowledge of the saxophone.

These techniques are presented in a way that references the tone colours, yeites, and

characters of tango instruments.

The work begins with an ad libitum introduction that uses the

multiphonics in an effective way to mimic the bandoneon’s dissonant clusters.

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  24  

figure 21.

The effective use of saxophone yeites - open slap tongue and key clicks – bring

the spontaneity of the tango tradition and are used to mimic the violins chicharra

(scraping the over the bridge), and strapatta (ricochet bow attack).

figure 22.

The middle section of the work is where Muslera has introduced the 21st

Century, avant-garde music to great effect. With the use of multiphonics seemingly

coming out of one note, as well as a screaming altissimo glissando, reminiscent of the

látigo of the violin, Muslera manages to capture the new contemporary music while

still referencing tango tradition. This part of the piece is truly a masterpiece.

figure 23.

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  25  

The work concludes with a variacion that not only requires great skill but the

implementation of circular breathing. ‘The technique of circular breathing consists of

continuous playing, with the pressure of air held in the mouth through the puffing of

the cheeks, while at the same time replenishing the air supply in the lungs by

breathing in through the nose’ (Londeix 1997:9). It is essential to use this technique to

complete the incredibly long phrases in Muslera’s variación.

In 2016, Muslera completed the adaptation of the work for Saxophone and

Piano that is performed today. Muslera was interested in making the work more

accessible to a larger number of performers. This version accentuates the bass line

much more and creates a new and interesting variation to the original.

  26  

Sources Cited

Azzi, M. S. (1995). The Golden Age and After, Tango. London, UK: Thames and Hudson.

Cottrell, S. (2013). The Saxophone. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University

Press  Delangle, C., Michat, J. D. (1998). The Contemporary Saxophone. In Ingham,

R. (Ed.) The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. Cambridge UK: Cambridge University Press. 161-183.

Foster, D. W., Lockhart, M. F., Lockhart, D. B. (1998). Culture and Customs of Argentina. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC Clio.

Gorin, N. (2001). Astor Piazzolla: A Memoir. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Amadeus Press.

Londeix, J. M. (1997). Méthode pour Étudier le Saxophone Paris: Editions Henry

Lemoine.

Monk, B. (2013). The Tango Saxophone Book. Vienna, Austria: Advance Music Mainz.

Salgán, H. (2001). Tango Course. Privately Published. Standish, P. (1995). Hispanic Culture of South America. Detroit, MI: Gale Research. Yep, V. (1993). ‘El Vals Peruano.’ Latin American Music Review/Revista de

Música Latinoamericana 14.2.