TS 2.03 - Juan D’Arienzo 1973
Tags: Juan D'Arienzo, Singer, InstrumentalCategory: AlbumSamples
Considering that the only three instrumental recordings D’Arienzo made in 1974 and 1975 were all pieces by Francisco Lomuto, evidently chosen as a tribute to him, the six precious instrumentals from 1973 may be understood as D’Arienzo’s final selections made entirely of his own free will.
These six instrumentals, Bar Exposición, Primerísimo, La Guiñada, Zorro Gris, Viernes Trece, and El Pillete, are all full of fighting spirit, as if striving to prove something one last time. Among them, Primerísimo is especially remarkable since it contains D’Arienzo’s final display of his signature “ultra-long stand-by,” lasting nearly eight seconds.
The remaining three recordings feature three different singers, one song each. Armando Laborde and Osvaldo Ramos each chose a piece perfectly suited to their individual styles. Alberto Echagüe, meanwhile, recorded the vals Ay, Aurora, a lovely piece he had recorded with D’Arienzo back in 1939. Comparing the two versions is fascinating in itself.
This lovely album, TS 2.03, brings together all nine recordings made by Juan D’Arienzo in 1973. As always, through the careful restoration work of TangoSparks, they now reveal an unprecedented level of sonic clarity, impact, and expressive power.
Among the recordings from D’Arienzo’s final four years, a period when he was almost retired and had greatly reduced his activities, the 1973 session stands out as particularly special. Unlike the concept or theme-based albums of 1972 and 1974, and unlike the final 1975 recordings, which were not even enough to form a complete album, the 1973 selections appear to have been made without any clear thematic restriction.
Of course, the 3 unreleased recordings from the 1973 session, as we can speculate from the missing matrix number (15317, 15320, 15322), might be the reason.
From a technical perspective, the main issue with these recordings lies in pitch instability. The deviation often drifts between 20 and 40 cents, enough to make one wonder who the mischievous recording engineer behind the curtain was.
After careful restoration, TS 2.03 adds another important piece to the legacy of Juan D’Arienzo. This level of precision, energy, and authority remains so formidable that countless contemporary OTs attempting to imitate his style can still hardly come close.
Frank Jin
| Date | Track | Genre | Singer | Label | Matrix No. | Pitch | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973-12-14 | Bar Exposición | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15314 | 442 | 2:40 |
| 1973-12-14 | Primerísimo | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15315 | 442 | 2:40 |
| 1973-12-14 | Bailarín Compadrito | Tango | Armando Laborde | Víctor | 15316 | 442 | 2:44 |
| 1973-12-14 | Ay, Aurora | Vals | Alberto Echagüe | Víctor | 15318 | 442 | 2:18 |
| 1973-12-14 | Mimí Pinsón | Tango | Osvaldo Ramos | Víctor | 15319 | 442 | 3:38 |
| 1973-12-14 | La Guiñada | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15321 | 442 | 2:40 |
| 1973-12-14 | Zorro Gris | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15323 | 442 | 2:09 |
| 1973-12-14 | Viernes Trece | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15324 | 442 | 2:20 |
| 1973-12-14 | El Pillete | Tango | Instrumental | Víctor | 15325 | 442 | 2:15 |
