Anibal Troilo
"About Buenos Aires I would have to say many things... What is my life, what is tango, what is Gardel, what is the night. What is the woman, the friend. I would have to say many things and many I would not know how to say them But write this down: I am grateful for being born in Buenos Aires," Aníbal Troilo said a long time ago.
“Pichuco”, as they called him, was born on July 11, 1914, at 2937 Cabrera Street, between Anchorena and Laprida, in the heart of the Barrio Norte neighborhood, but from the age of eight, after the death of his father, He lived in Soler 3280, between Gallo and Agüero, Palermo neighborhood.
During his childhood, Troilo listened to the bandoneon playing in the bars in his neighborhood. At the age of 10 he convinced his mother to buy him his first bandoneon. With that bandoneon, Troilo played almost his entire life.
A year later, in 1925, at 11 years old, Pichuco gave his first performance, in a bar next to the Mercado de Abasto. Later he joined a ladies' orchestra. And at the age of 14 he had already formed a quintet.
Troilo passed through numerous orchestras, among others, those of Juan Pacho Maglio, Julio de Caro, Juan D'Arienzo, Ángel D'Agostino and Juan Carlos Cobián.
From 1953 until the mid-60s, Troilo maintained for a time a musical activity parallel to that of his orchestra as a duo with guitarist Roberto Grela, which later became the Troilo-Grela Quartet. In 1968, now estranged from Grela, he formed his own quartet. In addition to this, Troilo recorded two songs (El Motivo and Volver) as a bandoneon duet with Ástor Piazzolla.
Among his compositions, he set music to unforgettable tangos, such as Barrio de tango, Che bandoneón, Sur, Romance de barrio, Desencuentro, La Última Curda, María, Garúa, Pa' que bailen los niños, Discepolín, among other works that He composed together with poets such as Homero Manzi, Cátulo Castillo, Enrique Cadícamo, José María Contursi.
Important singers trained with Aníbal Troilo, integrating his orchestra: Angel Cárdenas, Francisco Fiorentino, Alberto Marino, Edmundo Rivero, Roberto Rufino, Floreal Ruiz, Nelly Vázquez, and Roberto Goyeneche, with whom he forged a great friendship based on admiration and respect .
The death of his best friend, the poet Homero Manzi in 1951, caused him a deep depression that lasted more than a year. In his memory he composed the tango Responso. And in 1971, in commemoration of the twenty years since the poet's death, Troilo inaugurated Homero Manzi Square.
On May 18, 1975, Pichuco died. He composed around 60 works, now classics of citizen music. His remains are found in the Chacarita Cemetery. There lies a tribute monument made of bronze that remembers him playing the bandoneon.
Other representative places of Aníbal Troilo's life in Buenos Aires are:
The Ex Marabú cabaret, at Maipú 359, San Nicolás neighborhood was the scene of Aníbal Troilo's debut. Currently, “Maracaibo” operates there, a dance hall for tango and other rhythms.
The “Aníbal Troilo Corner”, former Café Carmen: is located in Paraná and Paraguay, in the San Nicolás neighborhood. The cafe where Troilo attended was almost completely remodeled; it preserves a collection of portraits of Troilo, the RiverPlate club (of which Pichuco was a fan), pennants, trophies and drawings, among other objects.
Teatro Colón: Troilo performed there with his Orchestra in 1972. Before, Florindo Sassone, Horacio Salgán with the voice of Roberto Goyeneche, Edmundo Rivero and the Sextet Tango had performed.
References:
https://www.cultura.gob.ar/anibal-troilo-yo-no-soy-musicosoy-tanguero-9023
Fotografía: https://www.bellasartes.gob.ar/coleccion/obra/11632
