A listening route through Pugliese’s orchestra

This route follows Lavocah’s phases: Pugliese before Pugliese, the transition after 1946, and the more open sound from 1954, followed by the rebuilt orchestra ^[2][3]. It is a selection from the guides in his book, chosen for connections between stops rather than rankings ^[4]. Times below come from his notes on the named recordings, and they can vary by reference transfer ^[5].

Start with the first record. Lavocah hears a prototype of the yumba at around 0'48", and a slower, simpler treatment that places the singer forward, compared with Troilo’s version two months later ^[6]. The arc begins here: an orchestra four years old, not yet sounding like itself ^[7].

Pugliese’s own early tango in essentially De Caro’s arrangement, so the difference is feeling, as Lavocah notes ^[8][9]. Listen for the bandoneón dialogue in the B section, and the third theme and variación saved for the end, with Alessio and Ruggiero sharing the lead ^[10].

Now the second voice. The Pugliese-requested mezza voce gives Morán’s entrance around 1'25" its charge, and this became one of his greatest hits ^[11][12]. It explains how a singer changed the orchestra’s standing with the public ^[13].

The turning point, summed up by Ruggiero’s remark that Pugliese then took his own road ^[14][5]. Follow the long A section, the unsettled B from about 1'24", and the return at 2'14" ^[15]. Prefer this take to the 1952 remake, Lavocah advises ^[5].

Recorded while police pressure mounted, it is Lavocah’s example of music forged under adversity ^[16]. Listen for the 3-3-2 foundation, the melodic interlude (1'32" to 2'06") and the dissolve into rhythm after 2'23" ^[17]. It proved too advanced for its public and was soon withdrawn ^[17]. Malandraca (31 May 1949) completes the trilogy, and Lavocah finds it more joyful and clear ^[18].

A new voice, and a contrasting social repertoire ^[19]. Lavocah calls Vidal the orchestra’s best singer, and this instant success was his first released side ^[20]. Pair it with stop 3 to hear the difference between Morán’s romantic and Vidal’s street manner ^[19].

Lavocah dates the mature sound from here and says this may be the first Pugliese arrangement to transform a tango far beyond its original conception: at 0'18" the violin counter-melody displaces the theme and the rest of the band drops out ^[14][21]. D’Arienzo’s staccato hit becomes something spacious and difficult ^[22].

Víctor Lavallén’s first arrangement for Pugliese, from the mature peak ^[14][23]. Its later fame is deceptive: Lavallén recalled only a few live performances before it was withdrawn, and dancers made it famous thirty years later ^[24]. Camerano has gone by now, and Herrero’s gentler violins lead ^[25].

Ruggiero’s late piece opens with no beat at all: suspended violins and a grumbling piano motif that return as counter-melody and main melody ^[26]. Lavocah treats it as a key to the whole orchestra’s treatment of rhythm and melody ^[27].

After the 1968 split came younger players, Arturo Penón’s training and months of rehearsal ^[28]. Rovira’s trio piece becomes danceable and hopeful; Daniel Binelli wrote the closing bandoneón variación as part of his entry test ^[29]. Lavocah hears beauty here, but less bite than in the old strings ^[30].

End with an answer from the next generation: Piazzolla’s tribute, turned back into dance music by removing his 3-3-2, adding a long introduction and using violin suspensions ^[31]. Pugliese’s orchestra played on until 1995, closing with La yumba at his final performance ^[32].

For the last public chapter, the catalogue holds a recording of La yumba at the Teatro Colón concert of 26 December 1985, the main programme’s closer ^[33][34]. Lavocah finds the sound of the 1960s PolyGram sessions brighter and more tiring at home, and says it fares better in a milonga’s reverberant room ^[35].