On the contrary, the important investments linked to its diffusion, in terms of public dances, theatre plays, printing of musical scores or record editing, evidence a different reality.

It must be noted that the sale of a musical score, implies an instrument to play it. If we remember that in those years, the instrument par excellence was the home piano, we see that the field of tango execution fully exceeded the environment of prostitutes, villains, “compadritos” and other disreputable characters.

On the other hand, the records demanded a record player, which they were not cheap until the start of the 1910 decade. Since there are recordings of tangos from 1902 and scores of them dating back at least from then, it would seem that those that propose the theory of the reclusion to the underworld have not asked themselves FOR WHOM the editorials printed scores, or the international record companies printed tangos. Thos minimal considerations, evidence that those products were not directed to a low-budget public.

Not specifying figures, has allowed some to conceal the erroneous in common theories. When we bring the figures, an estimate according to the Official Census based on the existing editorials, the number of people linked to the performance and/or teaching of music and the consideration of several personal archives, we get, for the period of 1900-1909 a total above… 3000000 tango scores sold nation wide!! Since that happened in the so called forbidden music phase, we cannot take those values for granted. Only the underworld people could absorb such a huge amount of copies? Plus, the marginal people were they all skilled musicians and owned an instrument?

Thinking about this simple questions carefully, it’s evident that BESIDES that social stratum, tango was accepted, tasted, danced, in sum “consumed” massively by vast sectors of the population.
Also note that I referred to the circulation nation wide. And as it can be verified, it was even internationally. On the contrary, tango of that decade is often confined to La Boca. Some, say it circulated the entire Buenos Aires suburb. A few, in an outburst of near universalism, proclaim it “rioplatense”. The reality proves that the existence in the interior of musical stores, both local stores or branches of Buenos Aires stores places its presence throughout the country through the sale of scores and records. Without forgetting, as another vehicle, the staging of theatre plays. Otherwise, the interior would have been isolated from Buenos Aires. Or only in the capital there were pianos, phonographs, music stores, scores, theatres, public dances, etc...?

Taking up again our city, let’s see now some journalistic examples that will give us a hint on the presence of tango in environments completely different to the ones usually described. And what was understood by this term, because it’s often said that “before” (this timelessness belongs to others) it was known by other shapes. To prove at least since when it was perfectly recognizable and prevailed, without any confusion or hiding under other names, let’s read:

“Tango.- With only this title we are presented with a good reduction for piano and singer, written by the intelligent pianist, professor of the National Conservatory, recently inaugurated, Miss. Isabel Orejón.

We were surprised that with the name of tango habanera, taken as the previously mentioned from the applauded Zarzuela (Spanish operetta) “Una corrida de toros en Vallecaz”, Mr. De Miguel has presented an arrangement that is already being sold.

Tango is a dance of lively and fast movements; the habanera is exactly the opposite, its tempo is slow and languid.

The tango, without relatives, it’s sold in all the music stores at 40 cents and in the Teatro S. Martín”

Interesting evidence, found in the publication Sud America #1.266 of the 21st-05-1888 p.2 c.2. It indicates that in 1888 tango was not only danced, but its choreography was also perfectly differentiated from the one applicable to an habanera. This is so true that it appears that the journalist is surprised of the naming hibridation made by the editor, titling as tango habanera another score. It reinforces the concept, with irony, saying that it was a tango without relatives.

On the other hand, the reduction for piano and singer was composed by a woman, who was furthermore…professor in the National Conservatory!! What was that about only prostitutes getting involved with tango, scandalizing its only name to any woman outside the underworld? We are in 1888, 25 years before the famous contest of the Di Marchi baron took place, milestone –according to the Bates and their followers- after which tango was accepted by decent people and all those fantasies. Moreover, the tango scores, which we repeat that according to some was in its “forbidden music phase”, was sold “in all the music stores”.

Summarizing,  in spite of what has been written in unverifiable theories about origins, influences and mixtures, or dogmatically giving dates of validity in the musical or in the choreographic…A witness from that time gives as in effect and perfectly differentiated of any hibridation, a certain dance in our city, called simply “tango”!. I repeat the year: 1888

Another classical example of the effect of tango is the case of the Carnival dances in downtown theatres. These events were possible by transforming them into great halls, removing the seats and the leveling of the floor. Traditionally, the most expensive and aristocratic was the Opera, gathering the most elegant sector of our society.

Let´s see this passage:

“Happily, the dances at the Opera will offer this year a convenient modification that means a progress in comparison to previous years.

It will no longer be tango, or mazurca, or provocative polka –it must be called by its name- that will figure in the programs, etc…”

Concluding evidence of tango being habitual to the point of being fed up of it, nothing less that in the dances of the Opera, the most select and expensive of the theatres. The journalist is pleased that finally tango will not figure in the program, as he says it had in “previous years”. In view of this routine and given the aristocratic character of the theater, somebody might suppose this note dated after the famous tango and cuplés contest organized by the Di Marchi baron in 1913… Not at all, it was published in El País #57 of the 24th-02-1900, p.6 c.5, “Theater life/Dances”.

How can this be combined with those that affirm that the “conquer” of downtown Buenos Aires in the hands of the “tangueros”, would have taken place not until 1910? We will explain this in the second part of this article.

 

Enrique Binda. 

 

Note from Sentir Tango: We have separated this text in two parts. You can read the second part here