Despite the ongoing problems faced by orchestras, the 2021 Astor Piazzolla Centenary has already been marked with multiple airings of one of his most substantial works, Sinfonia Buenos Aires.

 

In recent weeks it's received live performances in both Tokyo and Paris, courtesy of Tokyo Philharmonic (with Andrea Battistoni) and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (with Leonardo Garcia Alarcon) respectively. You can see the whole Piazzolla Centenary concert from Paris online here.  

 

Sinfonia Buenos Aires is one of Piazzolla's most significant orchestral works and was written shortly after his five-year-long studies with Alberto Ginastera in their hometown. 

 

The score won the Fabian Sevitzy Award which provided a scholarship to study in France. Sevitzky was a nephew of Serge Koussevitzky and also conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony) and he flew to Buenos Aires to conduct the new work in August 1953. 

 

The three-movement, 26-minute composition shows Piazzolla in impressive command of the large orchestral forces, that also feature an important part for the bandoneón. The composer's trademark tango rhythms are never far from the surface and there is an impressive array of percussion too!

 

It's not too late to join this year-long celebration of Piazzolla's music. We've put together a repertoire guide by way of assistance.

 

Please note that the Piazzolla works are available from Faber Music Ltd as a result of our representation of the Warner Chappell Music Hire Library.  As a result, we are only able to supply these outside North America.

 

Meanwhile, here's a terrific performance of Sinfonia Buenos Aires by Sinfónica de Galicia with Giancarlo Guerrero: