Emilio Balcarce

Emilio Balcarce was born on 22 February 1918 ^[5]. In 1935 he joined Ricardo Ivaldi's group, which played at dances and at the El Indio resort in Vicente López ^[1]. In 1940 he started his own orchestra and moved from the violin to the bandoneon ^[1].

In the 1940s his orchestra worked with the singers Alberto Castillo and Alberto Marino ^[1][4]. In 1949 he joined Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra as a violinist, and Pugliese recorded his composition Bien compadre ^[2]. He left Pugliese in 1968 to co-found Sexteto Tango ^[2].

He received Konex awards in 1985 and 1995 ^[1]. From 2000 he directed the Orquesta Escuela de Tango, and he stepped down from that post in 2008 ^[1][2]. He died in Buenos Aires in 2011 ^[1].

History

Early career (1935–1942)

In 1935 Balcarce joined Ricardo Ivaldi's group, which played at dances and at the El Indio resort in Vicente López ^[1]. In 1940 he started his own orchestra, and at the same time he moved from the violin to the bandoneon ^[1].

Accompanying singers (1943–1948)

In 1943 Balcarce began directing the orchestra that accompanied Alberto Castillo, after the singer left Tanturi's orchestra ^[1]. In 1947 the singer Alberto Marino left Troilo and rejoined Balcarce's orchestra ^[1]. A recording made on 20 January 1948 is credited to the Emilio Balcarce orchestra, with Alberto Marino as singer ^[4].

With Osvaldo Pugliese (1949–1968)

On 27 September 1949 Balcarce joined Osvaldo Pugliese's orchestra as a violinist ^[2]. Pugliese's orchestra recorded Balcarce's Bien compadre ^[2]. Balcarce stayed with Pugliese until 1968 ^[2].

Sexteto Tango (from 1968)

In 1968 Balcarce left Pugliese and co-founded Sexteto Tango ^[2]. In 1985 he received a Konex award that he shared with Sexteto Tango, and he received another Konex award in 1995 ^[1].

Orquesta Escuela de Tango (2000–2008)

In 2000 Balcarce became director of the Orquesta Escuela de Tango ^[2]. Ignacio Varchausky had proposed him for the post ^[2]. In 2004 he recorded Bien compadre with the Orquesta Escuela de Tango for EPSA Music ^[3]. He stepped down from the Orquesta Escuela in 2008, at the age of 90, and Néstor Marconi succeeded him ^[1].

Death

Balcarce died in Buenos Aires in 2011 ^[1].

Singers

Alberto Castillo sang with the orchestra Balcarce directed from 1943, after Castillo left Tanturi ^[1]. Alberto Marino rejoined Balcarce's orchestra in 1947, after leaving Troilo ^[1]. Marino is also credited as the singer on a recording the orchestra made on 20 January 1948 ^[4].

Recordings

On 20 January 1948 the Emilio Balcarce orchestra made a recording with Alberto Marino as singer ^[4]. The listing for this session is titled "La tarde del adiós || Calle del ocaso" ^[4].

Pugliese's orchestra recorded Balcarce's Bien compadre after Balcarce joined it in 1949 ^[2]. In 2004 Balcarce recorded Bien compadre again, this time with the Orquesta Escuela de Tango for the EPSA Music label ^[3].