TS 1.02 - Alberto Morán 1949-50
Samples
The epitome of a dramatic introvert singer in tango history, Alberto Morán’s masterful use of mezza voce and lamentoso phrasing, permeated by an indescribable aura of self-destruction, fits seamlessly within Osvaldo Pugliese’s heroic musical framework. Amid the political unrest beginning in 1948, Morán stood unwaveringly by the maestro’s side and continued recording in solidarity.
The artistic expression and repertoire of this period stand among the most anguished and heartfelt in tango (The lift of lyrics censorship in 1949 also contributed). Singer and orquesta became one — their emotional and musical bond palpable in every phrase. Iconic recordings such as “Frente a una Copa”, “Y Volvemos a Querernos” (1949), “Cobardía”, and “Llevátelo Todo” (1950) reach straight to the listener’s soul with raw emotional power.
Brought back to life through unparalleled sonic restoration, this album (TS 1.02) is essential listening for all lovers of tango.
Nearly half of Morán’s recordings from this period suffer from pitch drifting — maybe the most noticeable defect among many others — appearing consistently across both 78rpm and LP formats. This clearly points to a mastering flaw, further evidenced the immature transitional techniques employed during that era.
Morán was a master of vocal dynamics, often playing deliberately with his distance to the microphone. At moments of intense emotional delivery, the recording system frequently overloaded, resulting in characteristic signal distortion - a problem would be solved soon a few years later. We’ve worked diligently to temper these peaks and mitigate the harshness.
Given the often grievous quality of the surviving sources, we were forced to make decisions among all available versions — even when the options were equally compromised. Despite the scarcity of high-quality material, we’ve managed to bring new light to these performances through utmost care and devotion. We hope these gems will no longer remain hidden in the dark, but finally return to ears and dance floors.
Frank Jin
| Date | Title | Genre | Singer | Label | Matrix No. | Pitch | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949-05-04 | Frente A Una Copa | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17280 | 440 | 03:15 |
| 1949-05-31 | Y Volvemos A Querernos | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17306 | 440 | 02:55 |
| 1949-10-25 | Descorazonado | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17467 | 440 | 03:09 |
| 1950-03-07 | Quiero Verte Una Vez Más | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17583 | 440 | 02:42 |
| 1950-03-29 | Hacelo Por La Vieja | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17602 | 440 | 02:42 |
| 1950-06-30 | Cadenas | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17700 | 440 | 03:10 |
| 1950-07-26 | Y Mientes Todavía | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17732 | 440 | 03:16 |
| 1950-10-24 | Cobardía | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17847 | 440 | 02:53 |
| 1950-11-24 | Llamame | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17907 | 440 | 03:08 |
| 1950-11-24 | Llevátelo Todo | Tango | Alberto Morán | Odeón | 17908 | 440 | 03:01 |
