Astor Piazzolla

Argentina, 1937–1992

Argentine bandoneon player and composer (1921-1992) who created nuevo tango. Classically trained under Nadia Boulanger and steeped in jazz, he rebuilt tango as concert music - to the fury of traditionalists - in works like Libertango and Adios Nonino.

MusicRoots documents 4 artists who influenced Astor Piazzolla and 0 artists Astor Piazzolla influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Astor Piazzolla?

• Nadia Boulanger — Boulanger was the turning point: Piazzolla went to Paris hiding his tango past, and she told him to stop imitating classical composers and reinvigorate tango with what he already had.
• Béla Bartók — Bartok was among the modern composers Piazzolla studied in Paris, and the harmonic bite carried straight into nuevo tango.
• Igor Stravinsky — Stravinsky's rhythmic drive is part of the concert-music apparatus Piazzolla brought to bear on tango.
• Maurice Ravel — Ravel's harmony was among Piazzolla's studies in Paris and colours the lyrical side of his writing.