Eduardo Del Piano

Eduardo Del Piano was born on 14 May 1914 in Buenos Aires, the second of eight children of Italian immigrant parents who settled in the Barracas neighborhood at the end of 1910.^[12][13] Music was already present in the household; his father played guitar, violin or mandolin in an amateur group that performed at social gatherings.^[12][13] Del Piano initially aspired to a career in football with Boca Juniors, reaching the third division, but turned to the bandoneon and began professional work in 1929 with the neighborhood ensemble Silvestri-Pugliesi.^[12][13] He then formed the Del Piano-Paradiso group with violinist Carmelo Paradiso, pianist Vicente Paradiso, second bandoneon Eugenio Jódice and third bandoneon Luis Estrada (a Boca Juniors reserve player).^[12][13] The group debuted in 1930 at the Salón Liguria on Azara 645; Roberto Firpo heard them and engaged Del Piano for intermission performances at the Palace Teatro during silent-film screenings.^[12][13]

In 1931 he joined José De Caro's orchestra while continuing occasional work with Firpo.^[12][13] From 1932 until late 1933 he was a member of Osvaldo Fresedo's orchestra and appeared on screen with that group in the early sound films ¡Tango! and Los tres berretines, visible as the last bandoneonist on the right of the section.^[12][13] Between 1934 and 1935 he played with Augusto Berto, where he occasionally accompanied the young Ángel Vargas and began a lasting friendship; he also worked with Eugenio Nobile, Federico Scorticati and on radio presentations for Juanita Larrauri.^[12][13] Late in 1935 he entered Juan Canaro's orchestra, which included pianist Carlos Di Sarli, bandoneonist Domingo Federico and first violin Víctor Felice, remaining for nearly two years and later returning briefly for engagements at the Tabarís cabaret alongside violinist Alfredo Gobbi.^[12][13]

In 1937 Del Piano performed with Los Mendocinos under Francisco Lauro (later directed by Juan Sánchez Gorio and Bernardo Blas) and accompanied singers such as Yola Yoli, Laurita Esquivel, Carmen Duval and María de la Fuente.^[12][13] The following year he reunited with Ángel Vargas in the Orquesta Típica Víctor, participating in recordings of Adiós Buenos Aires, Sin rumbo fijo, Incertidumbre and Alma.^[12][13] In 1939 he worked again with Firpo, Canaro and Scorticati.^[12][13] In 1940 he was engaged by Roberto Zerrillo for an extended stay in Montevideo, then joined Joaquín Do Reyes with singer Eduardo Morel at the end of the year.^[12][13]

In 1943 Del Piano joined Miguel Caló briefly as first bandoneon (with Armando Pontier as second) but left because he could not impose his arrangements.^[12][13] He then entered Ángel D'Agostino's orchestra as first bandoneon and arranger, replacing Alfredo Attadía.^[12][13] With D'Agostino he prepared arrangements and orchestrations of A pan y agua, De pura cepa, De corte criollo and El cornetín del tranvía (the last opening with a bandoneon solo), and his contrapuntos were appreciated by Vargas.^[12][13] His composition Esta noche en Buenos Aires, with lyrics by Avlis (Erasmo Silva Cabrera), was premiered by Vargas in 1944 and became one of his best-known works.^[12][13][14]

After the final D'Agostino-Vargas recording on 10 September 1946, Vargas traveled to Mendoza for five months.^[12][13] Upon his return, Del Piano agreed to direct an accompanying orchestra; the debut took place in June 1947, during which announcer Raúl Astor introduced Vargas as “el Ruiseñor de las calles porteñas,” a title that endured.^[12][13] The collaboration produced approximately twenty recordings through October 1950, among them Milonga para Gardel, Se lustra señor, Bandoneón arrabalero, La mariposa, El motivo, Que se vayan, Mi vieja viola and Ventanita de arrabal.^[12][13][15] Although the professional partnership ended, the personal friendship continued until Vargas's death in 1959.^[12][13]

Del Piano then formed his own orchestra to develop his arrangements freely, debuting at the Tango Bar on Corrientes with singers Mario Bustos and Héctor De Rosas, later moving to the Adlón confitería on Florida and adding Rubén Grillo.^[12][13] Subsequent vocalists included Adolfo Rivas and Roberto Bayot.^[12][13] By 1958 the rise of other popular styles led him to open a perfumery with his wife on Avenida Galicia in Avellaneda, although he continued to assemble occasional groups for recordings and appearances with singers such as Osvaldo Ribó, Néstor Novoa, Carlos Danel and Néstor Soler.^[12][13] He was elected president of the Asociación Bandoneonística Argentina, with Astor Piazzolla as honorary president.^[12][13] Del Piano died unexpectedly at his home on 21 December 1987 and was buried in the Cementerio de la Chacarita.^[12][13]

His career illustrates the itinerant path common to many bandoneonists of his generation, moving through more than twenty ensembles before achieving recognition as both arranger and leader.^[12][13] The arrangements he prepared for D'Agostino and the recordings with Vargas demonstrate a preference for prepared solos, clear contrapuntos and a balanced support for the voice rather than free improvisation.^[12][13] Esta noche en Buenos Aires remains his principal compositional legacy, while his long association with Vargas produced a body of recordings that continue to represent a particular strand of 1940s–1950s tango.^[12][13][14]

Early ensembles and Fresedo years

After neighborhood beginnings in 1929–1930, Del Piano worked with Roberto Firpo and José De Caro before joining Osvaldo Fresedo in 1932.^[12][13] His participation in the films ¡Tango! and Los tres berretines provides rare visual documentation of the Fresedo orchestra of that period.^[12][13] Subsequent engagements with Berto, Canaro and others established him as a reliable first- or second-bandoneon player across a wide range of styles.^[12][13]

D'Agostino and the Vargas collaboration

From 1943 Del Piano served as first bandoneon and arranger for Ángel D'Agostino, contributing orchestrations that featured prepared solos and contrapuntos.^[12][13] The 1944 premiere of his tango Esta noche en Buenos Aires by Ángel Vargas marked his most significant compositional success.^[12][13][14] The June 1947 debut of the orchestra he directed for Vargas initiated a three-year recording partnership that produced around twenty sides and cemented Vargas's popular nickname.^[12][13][15]

Own orchestra and later activity

After 1950 Del Piano led his own orchestra with singers Mario Bustos, Héctor De Rosas and Rubén Grillo, appearing at venues such as the Tango Bar and the Adlón.^[12][13] By the late 1950s he combined occasional musical work with a commercial enterprise, while continuing to accompany other singers in smaller groups.^[12][13] His election as president of the Asociación Bandoneonística Argentina recognized his standing among fellow bandoneonists.^[12][13]