Augusto Berto

Augusto Berto was born on 4 February 1889 ^[2][4]. He learned the bandoneon from José Pepín Piazza and took up the instrument in 1905 ^[1][2]. He began performing in San Martín with Antonio Scatasso the following year ^[1][2].

During the 1910s Berto played at the Café de los Loros, formed a trio with Francisco Canaro and Domingo Salerno, and led a quartet at Bar Central on Avenida de Mayo ^[1]. He made his first recordings in 1913 for Atlanta, leading the Quinteto Criollo Augusto ^[1].

In the 1920s he wrote "El séptimo" for the seventh Internado ball, directed the orchestra of the Teatro Opera, and made his last record, for the Ideal label ^[1]. From 1926 he spent years touring the Americas and Spain with Camila Quiroga's company ^[1]. He died on 29 April 1953 ^[1].

Early years and training

Berto was born on 4 February 1889, a date given by two sources ^[2][4]. In 1905 he took up the bandoneon ^[2]. His teacher on the instrument was José Pepín Piazza ^[1].

In 1906 he started playing in San Martín with Antonio Scatasso ^[1][2]. This was his first recorded engagement as a performer in the dossier sources ^[1].

Career in the 1910s

In 1910 Berto played at the Café de los Loros with Julio Dutry, José Martínez and Vicente Pecci ^[1]. In 1912 he formed a trio with Francisco Canaro and Domingo Salerno ^[1].

In 1913 he made his first recordings, for the Atlanta label, as leader of the Quinteto Criollo Augusto ^[1]. In 1918 he played at the Bar Central on Avenida de Mayo with a quartet ^[1].

Career in the 1920s and later years

In 1920 Berto wrote "El séptimo" for the seventh Internado ball, at which he also played ^[1]. In 1924 he directed the orchestra of the Teatro Opera, and in the same year he made his last record, for the Ideal label ^[1].

In 1926 he began several years of touring the Americas and Spain with Camila Quiroga's company ^[1]. He died on 29 April 1953 ^[1].

Recordings

Berto's recording career spanned from 1913, when he first recorded for Atlanta at the head of the Quinteto Criollo Augusto, to 1924, when he made his last record for Ideal ^[1]. The sources consulted do not list individual titles from these sessions ^[1].

Repertoire

Berto is credited as composer of "La payanca" and "Don Esteban" ^[5]. He also wrote "El séptimo" for the seventh Internado ball in 1920 ^[1].

Sources differ slightly on the date of "La payanca": one states that Berto wrote it in 1916 and that it was published in 1917, while another gives 1917 as the year of composition ^[2][3].

Related

Related entries include Antonio Scatasso, with whom Berto played in San Martín in 1906, and the compositions "La payanca" and "Don Esteban" ^[1][2][5].