6) Aníbal Troilo in the Post-78rpm Era
"El Bandoneón Mayor de Buenos Aires," Aníbal Carmelo Troilo. How could I write this chapter without the utmost admiration and respect in my heart? He was not only a musical miracle but also a very social and amicable character in the Porteño literature and art circles, featuring great friendships with, just to name a few, Orlando Goñi, Homero Manzí, and Astor Piazzolla, all of whom greatly contributed to his musical manifestation. This logically explains the ongoing evolution of style and the everlasting popularity of Pichuco until the bandoneon permanently dropped from his hands.
Jens-Ingo Brodesser offered us a great read regarding Troilo’s TK period (1950-1956), both musically and historically. Unlike D’Arienzo, Pugliese, or Canaro, who had tied themselves up with foreign giants, Troilo (and Di Sarli) is among the very first group of tango musicians who firmly stood by Argentinean national record enterprises that emerged at the turn of the mid-century. TK had not shifted to progressive technology until 1952 when they gradually adopted the master tape (they recorded/produced only 78-rpms in 1950/51). This brand soon went bankrupt in 1963 and merged with Music Hall, which also went broke in the 1990s.
Turbulence and vicissitudes prevent us from obtaining good transfers of the TK period, and the available CD/digital transfers in the market are depressing. Probably, only the first-generation TK LPs printed in the 1950s are a feasible solution, despite covering seemingly only part of the repertoire and being nearly impossible to hunt down.
The picture only got clear after Troilo returned to Víctor in the 1960s.
Must-haves (40 discs):
Obra Completa en RCA is a 16-CD series released in 1997 consists of the complete magnificent work recorded by Troilo in RCA Victor. The transfers of the last eight CDs (Vol. 9-16) are authentic master tapes transfers without extra seasonings. They are precious and hard to find even for TJs.
The Obra Completa series sold well and soon went out of print. BMG then decided to remaster the whole Troilo work with newer techniques and present this series in 2005 which is the 30th anniversary of Pichuco’s decease. Here we go: the new Troilo en RCA Victor (TRV) series of 26 CDs. Some selections follow the original LP releases since they only contain about a dozen tracks.
Evaluation of this remastered work? The sound engineers have applied different levels of noise reduction to all the transfers from the master tapes, and their latest 24/96 equipment did inherently sound better than The Obra Completa series. Personal tastes will be involved when prioritizing the two series.
15 of the total 26 have contained all the late studio works of Troilo in RCA, including two tracks (Recordando a Homero Manzi and the quartet version of Toda Mi Vida) that the Obra failed to include. Personally, I still 80% of the time prefer Obra Completa, but I will leave it to you to make the final decision track by track.
Here comes the latest tribute 12-CD series called 100 Años Aníbal Troilo / Pichuco released by Argentinean local media company Clarín at Pichuco’s birth centennial in 2014. Many of the contents are of high historical value but intrinsically useless to TJs. The curves of the 78rpm transfers are wrong and the tape transfers are no better than the Obra and TRV series. Valuable tracks in this Pichuco series are eight albums (Vol. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11) that contains solid transfers from the TK period.
Pagina12, Aníbal Troilo, Cantan Goyeneche y Cárdenas (2)
Another media company Pagina|12 has access to the master tapes of Odeón and this 2-CD album offers the ultimate answer to the 1957-59 Odeón era of Pichuco.
Tango Argentino: Cafetín de Buenos Aires (TA CBA)
The Rivero transfers are amazingly good, despite some small curve issues - but the added reverb is annoying. Some transfers’ LP source is plausibly 78rpm metal masters when they still existed.
Orfeon (MH), Lo Mejor de Anibal Troilo (Orfeon L)
Second Troilo CD in Music Hall, soon acquired by Orfeon and re-released with a cover of a different color.
Orfeon: Taconeando (Orfeon T)
The one and only best album of Troilo-Grela duos in the TK period. Master tape transfers.
BM R32P-1103: Anibal Troilo
This Japanese album offers the best solutions of the 1963 recording series, which are Troilo’s first batch of stereo recordings.
EU 16041: Bien Porteño
This lovely instrumental selection gives the final answer to Troilo’s instrumentals in the late 40s.
Music Hall 10040: Ranko Fujisawa / Horacio Salgán
Ok, I know you may ask: is this a Troilo CD? According to an interview of Mrs. Fujisawa, she addressed that these 1953 recordings were recorded with the Troilo orquesta without the maestro’s presence. Considering the similar carnation cases of Osvaldo Pugliese, and the value of this album made from the masters, I will trust her testimony and list it here.
Music Hall 10016: Aníbal Troilo, Quejas de Baneoneon
Some nice tranfers are possibly made from either the masters or early print LPs. Still need some restoration work.
Orfeon: Sus Mejores Momentos (Orfeon S)
Great transfers of El Entrerriano, Triunfal, La Cumparsita, etc. Track 5/6 are not performed by Troilo.
Could-haves:
EU Records Archivo TK 13001-13005 is a famous set among the TJ community however infamous for its quality. Mostly of the tracks are shellac transfers with over manipulating on frequencies, noise reduction, severe clipping issues: these cannot be solely explained by the engineers’ lack of experience. The significance of this series is offering a complete repertoire of Troilo’s TK period.
LanTower - Anibal Troilo 1957-1959 Completo (LanT)
If the Pagina|12 album does not exist, this 2-CD album will be the best choice of Pichuco’s Odeón period. (Who can tell me how did LanTower also get access to the master tapes?)
EM From Argentina To The World (FATW)
La Bordona.
DK 54272: A Fuego Lento
Orfeon: Dos Inolvidables del Tango (Orfeon B)
Clean and beautiful transfer of Pero Yo Sé.
Grafisound 15205: Bandoneon Arrabalero (GS 15205)
Mano Brava.
Orfeon: Coleccion de Oro (Orfeon C)
The Comparison List
Tango Instrumental 1949-1958 (RCA, TK, Odeón)
Tango Instrumental 1961-1972 (RCA)
Jorge Casal, Raúl Berón y Ranko Fujisawa 1952-1955 (TK)
Edmundo Rivero, Ángel Cárdenas, etc. 1949-1959 (RCA, TK, Odeón)
Roberto Goyeneche 1956-1971 (TK, Odeón, RCA)
Roberto Rufino, Tito Reyes, Nelly Vázquez y Elba Berón 1962+ (RCA)
Milonga y Vals (RCA, TK, Odeón)
Duo y Cuarteto (TK, RCA)
