Astor Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla
Piazzolla with his bandoneon, 1971
Piazzolla with his bandoneon, 1971
Background information
Birth nameAstor Pantaleón Piazzolla
Born(1921-03-11)March 11, 1921
Mar del Plata, Argentina
DiedJuly 4, 1992(1992-07-04) (aged 71)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
GenresTango, nuevo tango
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger
Instrumentbandoneon
Years active1933–1990

Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla (Spanish: [pjaˈsola], Italian: [pjatˈtsɔlla]; March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music. A virtuoso bandoneonist, he regularly performed his own compositions with a variety of ensembles. In 1992, American music critic Stephen Holden described Piazzolla as "the world's foremost composer of Tango music".[1]

  1. ^ Holden, Stephen (July 6, 1992). "Astor Piazzolla, 71, Tango's Modern Master, Dies". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2014.