Troilo–Fiorentino 1941

In Lavocah’s account, Buenos Aires dance bands in 1941 worked in the strong, clear, up-tempo style associated with D’Arienzo’s 1935 revival of tango dancing. ^[1] Troilo retained that rhythmic drive while giving melody and lyrics a larger role, with Fiorentino’s voice closely integrated into the orchestra. ^[1]

The orchestra had succeeded at the 1941 carnival dances, but Lavocah presented any connection between that success and the RCA-Victor contract as uncertain. ^[1] He treated the recordings’ apparent completeness as the result of years of work by the ensemble, its musicians and Troilo. ^[2]

Lavocah credited Héctor María Artola with arranging most of these tracks, while noting that some instrumentals were still played without a formal written arrangement. ^[2] He described the vocal recordings as beginning with an instrumental verse and chorus, followed by Fiorentino’s verse and chorus and an instrumental solo; the orchestra then built to a finish or Fiorentino returned for part or all of the chorus. ^[3] The instrumentals could be highly syncopated, and Lavocah singled out the violins and pianist Orlando Goñi as especially audible in them. ^[3]

The chapter dated “Yo soy el tango,” “Mano brava” and “Toda mi vida” to 4 March 1941, all with Fiorentino singing. ^[4][5][6] In “Yo soy el tango,” Goñi’s left hand drove the introduction, while his right hand reinforced violin pizzicato later in the verse. ^[4] “Mano brava” began with violins and bandoneons before Kicho Díaz’s bass and Goñi’s piano entered; Goñi played a brief two-note solo before the vocal. ^[5] Artola’s arrangement of “Toda mi vida” set a repeated riff against the melody, moved from legato strings to 3-3-2 syncopation, and gave Troilo an introspective bandoneon solo after Fiorentino’s verse. ^[6]

“Te aconsejo que me olvides,” dated 16 April, shifted from the narrator’s proud response to a farewell letter toward tender memories in its chorus; Lavocah heard that change in both Fiorentino’s singing and the instrumental introduction. ^[7] In “Tabernero,” dated 28 May, the drunken narrator moved from demanding another drink to pleading with the barman, while a bandoneon solo introduced reflections delivered as speech rather than song. ^[8]

The 28 May recording of “Pájaro ciego” paired Fiorentino with Amadeo Mandarino, whose gentler second voice echoed him in the chorus. ^[9][10] Lavocah identified it as the group’s only recorded vocal duet before Alberto Marino arrived in 1943. ^[10] He also named “Toda mi vida,” “Milongueando en el 40” and “Yo soy el tango” among the 1941 repertoire familiar to tango listeners. ^[2]