If you find yourself limited to listening the same songs again, perhaps eager to listen to other orchestras and composers. However don’t know where to start? Below you will find a list of less well known however also played on milongas composer and tango orchestras.

We all tend to listen to familiar tracks and like those however reality is when you go to a milonga or even at classes you will find yourself dancing and listening to a wide array of tango songs and tango orchestras. To feel more confident with a wider range of tango music it is recommended to listen to a variety of songs and composers. Some composers created several versions of the same song in different stages of their career/ musical development. It is interesting to see if you can compare and hear the differences and see which ones your prefer and why. Carlos Di Sarli is one of those that has recorded different versions of several songs throughout his career over several decades.

Listen to a few well known and easy to find Argentine tango orchestras that played and recorded in ‘The Golden Age of Tango’ (1930s – 1950s).

Here are five more names to look for:

• Hector Varela In 1954 his orchestra had 6 bandoneons as well as other instruments !
• Ricardo Tanturi Orchestra with great singers including Alberto Castillo, Enrique Campos, Roberto Videla and others.
• Ciriaco Ortiz Few recordings of his own groups, but he also played with other renowned orchestras including O. Pugliese, and F. Canaro.
• Julio De Caro He has many recordings in late 1920s, but continued until 1950s.
• Carlos Di Sarli He is a well known composer however listen and compare his less well known versions of songs.

Just listen, savour and enjoy the music. Try to use active listening skills if you can. Please find below and choose a few things you could listen for. For example what instruments are used? What instruments are playing the bass and what are playing the melody? Is it varied? Is there repetition? Are there instruments playing solos if yes which ones?

Even without trained musical knowledge you should be able to start to feel or perceive that there are characteristics, or flavours to the music that could inspire different reactions.

You may listen to the same piece two or three times. Yes, there is some sort of structure. Sometimes the music seems to speed up or slow down. There might be different rhythms, different flavours, and different interpretations. You do not need a degree in music to dance tango.

You do need to be able to focus on the music in a way that you can share with the person you are dancing with at that moment. Can you then move together in a way that appreciates and savours both the music and the reality of your delicious combined endeavour.

Listen to a few, maybe to some you are not familiar with. When you see us next time, share your thoughts and opinions with fellow tango dancers.