Didn’t he have dramatic and passionate melodies? Osvaldo Pugliese was one of tango’s greats. He composed during the Golden Age. Let’s explore the story of “Saint Pugliese”.
Osvaldo Pedro Pugliese was born in Buenos Aires in 1905. His father Adolfo played flute. His brothers Vicente and Alberto played violin. Osvaldo began violin lessons with his father. He joined the Odeon Conservatory. There he studied with maestros.
At 15 Osvaldo played piano professionally. It was at the Cafe de la Chancha. At 16 he moved to Buenos Aires. He met Francisca Bernardo Cruz. She was Argentina’s first female bandoneonist. He joined her Paquita Orchestra as pianist.
In 1924 Pugliese joined the Enrique Pollet quartet. Around this time he wrote “Recuerdo”. It means “memory”. It is about fond memories of his cousins. They would visit him at La Chancha.
He joined Pedro Maffia’s Orchestra. This marked the beginning of his rise to maestro status. The group followed the De Caro school of music. It was characterized by slow phrasing. This influenced Pugliese’s style.
During the late 1920s tango reached its peak. Pugliese played at cafes and silent movie houses. He collaborated with musicians. They included Anibal Troilo and Elvino Vardaro. In 1936 he formed his own sextet.
In 1939 he created Orquesta Típica Pugliese. It is regarded as one of the best tango orchestras. The lineup changed over the years. But Pugliese worked with this orchestra for life. It followed De Caro. It featured no drums. It had bandoneón solos. It used dramatic pauses. It alternated tempos. Pugliese coined “yumba”. This stressed the first and third beats.
Pugliese made his first recordings in 1943. Some of his raved-about tangos are “La Yumba” and “Negracha”.
Pugliese was also a committed activist. In 1936 he joined the Communist Party. This led to hostility from those in power. He even spent time in jail. While in prison he wrote arrangements for his band. His musicians loved him. They placed a red carnation on the piano during his absence.
Pugliese holds multiple distinctions. He was a citizen of Buenos Aires. He was a Commandeur de L’Ordre des Arts et Lettres of France. He became an Honorary Academician of the Academia Nacional del Tango.
Osvaldo Pugliese died in 1995. He was 89. “La Yumba” played at his funeral. His legacy continues. His daughter Beba and granddaughter Carla are both pianists.
Osvaldo Pugliese’s music is dramatic. It is passionate. It is lyrical. He forever changed the landscape of tango. Remember him. Remember his passion. Remember “San Pugliese”.