Tango genre in music

By Sara Garcia 

Tango is a musical genre and a dance that was born at the end of the 19th century in the Río de la Plata, especially in Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Montevideo (Uruguay). It is the result of a rich blend of European, African, and Creole cultures that fused in the working-class neighborhoods of these cities.

Characteristics of Tango:

• Typical instrumentation: bandoneon (key in the tango sound), piano, violin, double bass, and sometimes guitar.
• Rhythm: usually duple (2/4 or 4/4), with a marked but flexible rhythm that adapts to the expression of the dance.
• Common themes: love, heartbreak, nostalgia, life in the neighborhoods, tango itself.
• Lyrics: poetic, melancholic, with popular language and lunfardo (River Plate slang).