Raúl Garello

Raúl Miguel Garello was born in Chacabuco, Buenos Aires province. Most biographical sources give the date as 3 January 1936; the Fundación Konex and one official curriculum vitae list 7 January 1936. He studied harmony, fugue and counterpoint with Juan Schultis and Pedro Rubione. At about eighteen he joined the house orchestra of Radio Belgrano, where he met Leopoldo Federico, whom he later replaced in the quartet of Roberto Firpo (h). He subsequently worked with the ensembles of Carlos Dante, Alberto Morán and Horacio Salgán, and recorded with Roberto Pansera.^[1][2][3]

In 1963 he entered Aníbal Troilo’s orchestra as a bandoneonist. Three years later his first notable arrangements appeared: “La guiñada” of Agustín Bardi for the Baffa-Berlingieri orchestra and an instrumental version of Juan Carlos Cobián’s “Los mareados” for Troilo. The latter commission arose when Troilo, preparing sessions at RCA-Victor, heard a new recording by his former singer Roberto Goyeneche and asked who had written the orchestration. Learning that it was Garello, the bandoneonist already in his own section, Troilo invited him to arrange for the orchestra. From 1967 onward Garello became the principal arranger of Troilo’s repertoire, except for the pieces of Julián Plaza, which Plaza continued to arrange himself. Garello later described himself as an “instrumentator” rather than the final arranger, noting that Troilo approved or rejected every score.^[1][2][4]

While still with Troilo he began directing his own recording sessions. From 1965 he appeared on Victor discs credited as Orquesta Típica Porteña, accompanying singers that included Roberto Goyeneche, Rubén Juárez, Floreal Ruiz, Roberto Rufino, Eladia Blázquez, Edmundo Rivero and Susana Rinaldi. He also supplied arrangements for the orchestras of Enrique Francini and Leopoldo Federico. In 1969 Troilo’s orchestra premiered Garello’s tango “Che Buenos Aires.”^[1][2][5]

In 1974 Garello debuted his first independent group, a sextet, at El Viejo Almacén in San Telmo, the venue owned by Edmundo Rivero. Three years later he launched a series of four instrumental albums recorded with an expanded 27-piece orchestra. These discs presented his own compositions: “Che Buenos Aires,” “Verdenuevo,” “Margarita de agosto,” “Muñeca de marzo,” “Pequeña Martina,” “Bien al mango,” “Vaciar la copa,” “Aves del mismo plumaje,” “Che Pichín” and “Pasajeros del tiempo.” Vocal works from the same period include “Llevo tu misterio” (recorded by Roberto Rufino), “Buenos Aires conoce” (Floreal Ruiz, lyrics by Rubén Garello), “Dice una guitarra” and “Tiempo de tranvías.”^[1][2][6]

In 1980 Garello became founding co-director of the Orquesta del Tango de Buenos Aires, alternating the podium and arranging duties with Carlos García. The ensemble, dependent on the municipal music authorities, performed both classical and contemporary tango repertoire. On 9 July 1990 Garello conducted the orchestra at the Teatro Colón. He remained associated with the Orquesta del Tango de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires until his final years, sharing direction in later periods with Néstor Marconi and Juan Carlos Cuacci. On 19 September 2016 he conducted a portion of a Colón concert by the same orchestra.^[2][7][8]

Garello received Konex awards in 1985 (as director of a typical orchestra), 1995 and 2005 (as tango author/composer). In 2003 he was named Ciudadano Ilustre of the City of Buenos Aires. He also arranged a series of Gardel tangos for the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse under Michel Plasson in the mid-1990s, appeared with his group in the 1988 film “Tango for Two” directed by Héctor Olivera, and collaborated with Horacio Ferrer on the album “Viva el Tango” (1987–88) and a later tribute to Woody Allen. He died in Buenos Aires on 29 September 2016 of acute myocardial infarction and was buried at the Cementerio de la Chacarita.^[2][9][10]

Garello’s style remained rooted in the Troilo tradition while incorporating richer harmonic colour and a personal rhythmic approach. He repeatedly stated that his development would have been impossible without the years spent beside “Pichuco,” and he rejected a rupture with the evolutionary continuity of tango. His own compositions and the institutional work of the Orquesta del Tango de Buenos Aires form the principal legacy of the post-Troilo phase of his career.^[1][2]

Early career and entry into Troilo’s orchestra

After studies in harmony, fugue and counterpoint, Garello joined Radio Belgrano’s house orchestra at about eighteen and met Leopoldo Federico. He later played with Roberto Firpo (h), Carlos Dante, Alberto Morán and Horacio Salgán. In 1963 he entered Aníbal Troilo’s bandoneon section. By 1966–67 he had become the orchestra’s principal arranger after Troilo heard and admired an orchestration Garello had written for Roberto Goyeneche; the first Troilo arrangement was an instrumental “Los mareados.” He remained with Troilo until the leader’s death in 1975.^[1][2][4]

Own groups and compositions

From 1965 Garello directed sessions for Victor under the credit Orquesta Típica Porteña, accompanying major singers. In 1974 he debuted a sextet at El Viejo Almacén. In 1977 he recorded four instrumental albums with a 27-piece orchestra that introduced his own tangos, including “Che Buenos Aires” (premiered by Troilo in 1969), “Verdenuevo,” “Margarita de agosto” and “Muñeca de marzo.” Vocal pieces from the period include “Llevo tu misterio” and “Buenos Aires conoce.”^[1][2][5][6]

Orquesta del Tango de Buenos Aires and later activity

In 1980 Garello co-founded and co-directed the Orquesta del Tango de Buenos Aires with Carlos García. He conducted the ensemble at the Teatro Colón on 9 July 1990 and again, in part, on 19 September 2016. Additional work included arrangements of Gardel for the Toulouse orchestra, the film “Tango for Two,” collaboration with Horacio Ferrer, and three Konex awards (1985, 1995, 2005). He died on 29 September 2016.^[2][7][8][9]