Tango in 1924

The sources for 1924 cover four main topics: new ensemble formats, a new use of the singer, the deaths of two established musicians, and a long list of recordings ^{[1][9][3][6][7]}. One source credits Julio De Caro with first establishing the sextet in Argentine tango that year ^[1]. A chronicle likewise dates the formation of a "famous sextet" to 1924 and links it with "the evolutionist stream of tango" ^[13].

Francisco Canaro is reported to have conceived, in 1924, the idea of bringing a singer into the orchestra to sing only the estribillo ^[9]. In the same year Eduardo Arolas died in Paris on 29 September and Vicente Greco died on 5 October ^{[3][11][6][12]}. The family of Astor Piazzolla moved to New York in 1924 ^[2][8].

A discography listing for 1924 records sides by Carlos Gardel, Francisco Canaro, Roberto Firpo, Osvaldo Fresedo, Julio De Caro, Eduardo Arolas and others ^[7]. It also lists singers including Azucena Maizani, Rosita Quiroga, Libertad Lamarque, Mercedes Simone, Charlo and Agustín Magaldi ^[7]. Some entries carry differing credits or dates, and these are noted below and under disputed points ^[7].

An article on the stage production Tango Argentino states that the sextet in Argentine tango was first established by Julio De Caro in 1924 ^[1]. A chronicle on the Sexteto Mayor also places in 1924 the formation of a "famous sextet" and associates it with "the evolutionist stream of tango" ^[13]. The available excerpt of that chronicle does not name the leader in the same sentence ^[13]. The 1924 listing includes two titles credited to Julio De Caro, 'Todo corazón' and 'Triste' ^[7].

According to a biography of Francisco Canaro, in 1924 he conceived the idea of incorporating a singer into the orchestra ^[9]. The singer was to sing only the estribillo, described as the brief main section of each tango ^[9]. The 1924 listing credits Canaro with several sides with Azucena Maizani and one with Carlos Gardel, alongside many instrumental titles ^[7].

Osvaldo Pugliese played in the quartet of Enrique Pollet in 1924 and later joined the orchestra of Roberto Firpo ^[5]. The source gives no year for the Firpo engagement ^[5].

Eduardo Arolas was born Lorenzo Arola in Barracas, Buenos Aires, on 24 February 1892 ^[3]. He was a bandoneonist, orchestra director and composer of Argentine tango, known by the nickname El tigre del bandoneón ^[3]. He became an alcoholic and withdrew to Paris, where he died of tuberculosis in the municipal hospital on 29 September 1924 ^[3].

A second biography gives the same date and describes him as ill and alcoholic after his return to Paris ^[11]. It states that he left a last work, the only one he wrote in France; the excerpt does not give its title ^[11]. The 1924 listing includes three titles credited to Arolas: the tango 'El choclo' and the valses 'Lágrimas y sonrisas' and 'Pabellón de las rosas' ^[7].

Vicente Greco was born on 3 February 1886 and died on 5 October 1924 ^[6]. He is described as a composer, orchestra director and bandoneonist, and as one of the most representative musicians of the period known as the Guardia vieja ^[6]. A second biography gives the same dates and states that he was born and died in Buenos Aires ^[12].

Juan Carlos Marambio Catán judged that until 1924 'La cumparsita' had been an instrumental tango that was "totalmente olvidado" (completely forgotten) ^[4]. A biography of Gerardo Matos Rodríguez likewise states that in 1924 the piece had fallen into oblivion ^[10].

On 6 June 1924 the company of Leopoldo Simari premiered a short play by Pascual Contursi and Maroni, Un programa de cabaret, at the old teatro Apolo ^[4]. The 1924 listing includes recordings of 'La cumparsita' by Carlos Gardel, also listed under the double title 'La cumparsita | Si supieras', and by Francisco Lomuto ^[7]. Marambio Catán appears in the same listing with a 1924 recording of 'Todo corazón' ^[7].

In 1924 the Piazzolla family moved to New York ^[2]. Astor Piazzolla spent much of his childhood there and learned English as his third language, having already known Spanish and Italian ^[2]. A second biography confirms the 1924 move with his parents and states that his encounter with the bandoneon took place in New York in 1929 ^[8].

A 1924 recording later returned in Piazzolla's own work ^[2]. In 1950 he joined the TK label and recorded a disc that included 'Chiqué', a piece he had already arranged for Troilo ^[2]. The same disc included 'Triste', an old piece by José De Caro and Ángel Maffia that he revived from a 1924 recording by the Julio De Caro sextet ^[2]. The listing dates Julio De Caro's 'Triste' to 1924 in one entry and to 11 December 1924 in another ^[7].

The 1924 listing consists mostly of tangos, with some valses, zambas, shimmies, fox trots and other genres ^[7]. Entries are grouped under a shared work code, so one composition can appear under several spellings and performers; for example, Canaro's 'Amigaso' and Firpo's 'Amigazo' share a code ^[7].

Carlos Gardel has the largest group of entries, most credited to Guillermo Barbieri and José Ricardo with Gardel ^[7]. Titles under that credit include: - 'Aromas' ^[7] - 'Cascabelito' ^[7] - 'Congojas' ^[7] - 'Destino' ^[7] - 'El alma que siente' ^[7] - 'El besito' ^[7] - 'El olivo' ^[7] - 'Francesita' ^[7] - 'Griseta' ^[7] - 'Hollín' ^[7] - 'La enmascarada' ^[7] - 'La mentirosa | Mentirosa' ^[7] - 'La mina del Ford' ^[7] - 'La vuelta de Rocha' ^[7] - 'Milonga fina' ^[7] - 'Nunca más...!' ^[7] - 'Perdóname señor' ^[7] - 'Pobre amigo' ^[7] - 'Pobre madrecita' ^[7] - 'Por un tango' ^[7] - 'Príncipe' ^[7] - 'Sacate la caretita' ^[7] - 'Se acuerdan muchachos' ^[7] - 'Sombras...!' ^[7] - 'Sueño marchito' ^[7] - 'Tesorito' ^[7] - 'Todo corazón' ^[7] - 'Tranco a tranco' ^[7]

Entries credited to Gardel alone include 'Aquellas cartas', 'Sueño querido', 'La cumparsita' and the fox trot 'Oh Paris!' ^[7]. Gardel also appears with José Razzano on the zambas 'Aunque me cueste la vida' and 'Claveles mendocinos' ^[7].

Francisco Canaro's instrumental entries include 'Alfredo', 'Amigaso', 'Cascabelito', 'El besito', 'El pato alegre', 'Evocación', 'Francesita', 'La cabeza del italiano', 'La mina del Ford', 'La vuelta de Rocha', 'Mala', 'Se acuerdan muchachos...?', 'Sentimiento gaucho', 'Sin consuelo', 'Sobre el pucho', 'Sombras' and 'Todo corazón' ^[7]. He also recorded 'Il piccolo navio', listed as a tango humorístico, with a choir ^[7].

Azucena Maizani appears with Francisco Canaro on 'Padre nuestro' (January 1924), 'La cabeza del italiano' and 'Muchachita loca' (both July 1924), 'Mia...' (August 1924) and 'Mala!!!' ^[7]. She is also listed alone on 'Malena' ^[7].

Rosita Quiroga is listed with Eduardo Pereyra on 'Nunca es tarde' (September 1924), 'Julián', and 'Beba' and 'Corazoncito de oro' (both 30 December 1924) ^[7]. She also appears on 'De mi barrio' ^[7].

Several works appear in more than one 1924 version ^[7]. 'Il piccolo navio' is listed, under various spellings, by Francisco Canaro with a choir, by Carlos Gardel, by Roberto Firpo, by Genaro Espósito and twice by Manuel Pizarro ^[7]. 'Todo corazón' is listed by Juan Carlos Marambio Catán, Francisco Canaro, Carlos Gardel and Julio De Caro ^[7]. 'Sombras' appears by Canaro and Firpo and, as 'Sombras...!', by Gardel ^[7].

The 1924 listing sometimes gives differing credits for what appears to be the same item ^[7]. 'Beba', sung by Rosita Quiroga and dated 30 December 1924, is credited in one entry to Eduardo Pereyra and in another to an unspecified orchestra ^[7]. 'De mi barrio' is credited both to Quiroga alone and to an unspecified orchestra with Quiroga ^[7].

Gardel's 'Beso ingrato' has three entries: one to Gardel alone, one to Barbieri and Ricardo with Gardel, and one to Canaro with Gardel dated 20 April 1924 ^[7]. The zamba 'Claveles mendocinos' and the tango 'De flor en flor' are each credited both to Barbieri alone and to Barbieri and Ricardo with Gardel ^[7].

Alberto Vila's 'Adiós, Argentina' is given as 1924 in the dossier claim, but the source excerpt shows a date range of 1924 to 1943 ^[7]. The sources do not resolve these differences ^[7].