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History of Tango Timeline

(1880s - Present)

Tango is a passionate dance and musical genre that originated in the working-class port neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the late 19th century. Born from a blend of African, European, and indigenous influences, tango evolved from marginal milongas to elegant Parisian ballrooms, experiencing a golden age in the mid-20th century before spreading worldwide as a symbol of Argentine culture. Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins and Early Influences

Early written records of tango dances in Cuba and Spain

1850

Even though the present forms of tango developed in Argentina and Uruguay from the mid-19th century, there are earlier written records of Tango dances in Cuba and Spain. A flamenco Tangos dance also exists that may share a common ancestor in a minuet-style European dance.

Image source: Tango

Early written records of tango dances in Cuba and Spain

African communities influence early tango rhythms

1850

All sources stress the influence of the African communities and their rhythms on the development of tango. These rhythms formed a crucial foundation upon which other musical traditions would later build.

European immigrants contribute instruments and techniques

1860

The instruments and techniques brought in by European immigrants played a major role in the final definition of tango, relating it to the salon music styles to which Tango would contribute back at a later stage, when it became fashionable in early 20th century Paris.

Immigration wave transforms Argentina's demographics

1880

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Argentina experienced a significant wave of immigration that transformed its demographic composition, bringing together diverse cultural influences that shaped tango.

Image source: Immigration to Argentina

Immigration wave transforms Argentina's demographics

Teatro Opera includes tango in its balls

1902

In 1902, the Teatro Opera started to include tango in their balls, marking an important milestone in tango's journey toward wider social acceptance in Buenos Aires.

Music and Musicians

Bandoneon introduced to Buenos Aires from Germany

1870

In about 1870, the bandoneon was introduced to Buenos Aires from Germany. It would become linked inextricably with tango music starting in about 1910, becoming the defining instrument of the genre.

Image source: Bandoneon

Bandoneon introduced to Buenos Aires from Germany

Early tango songs recorded without great popularity

1900

During the first decade of the 20th century, some songs under the name of tango were recorded, but these recordings did not achieve great popularity at the time.

Image source: Tango music

Early tango songs recorded without great popularity

Tango dominates gramophone record releases

1903 - 1910

During the period of 1903–1910, over a third of the 1,000 gramophone records released were of tango music, and tango sheet music sold in large quantities, showing the genre's growing commercial appeal.

Bandoneon becomes linked inextricably with tango

1910

Starting in about 1910, the bandoneon became linked inextricably with tango music, cementing its role as the signature sound of the genre after its introduction decades earlier.

Tango features on half of all released records

1910 - 1920

Between 1910 and 1920, tango featured on 2,500 of the 5,500 records released, demonstrating its overwhelming dominance in the recording industry during this decade.

Juan "Pacho" Maglio popularizes recorded tangos

1912

In 1912, Juan "Pacho" Maglio was very popular with his recorded tangos featuring the bandoneon accompanied by flute, violin and guitar, helping define the sound of early recorded tango.

Image source: Juan Maglio

Juan "Pacho" Maglio popularizes recorded tangos

Roberto Firpo cements standard tango sextet instrumentation

1916

In 1916, Roberto Firpo, an extremely successful bandleader of the period, cemented the instrumentation for the standard tango sextet: two bandoneons, two violins, piano and double bass.

Image source: Roberto Firpo

Roberto Firpo cements standard tango sextet instrumentation

Carlos Gardel records Mi Noche Triste

1917

In 1917, folk singer Carlos Gardel recorded his first tango song Mi Noche Triste, forever associating tango with the feeling of tragic love as revealed in the lyric.

Image source: Mi noche triste

Carlos Gardel records Mi Noche Triste

Gardel's singing establishes tango-canción tradition

1917

With Mi Noche Triste, Carlos Gardel established the sung tango as a vehicle for expressing tragic love, a theme that would define the genre's lyrical identity for generations.

Image source: Carlos Gardel

Gardel's singing establishes tango-canción tradition

Julio De Caro forms orchestra, refines tango

1920

Classically trained musicians were not associated with tango music until Julio De Caro, violinist, formed an orchestra in 1920 and made the tango more elegant, complex and refined.

Image source: Julio de Caro

Julio De Caro forms orchestra, refines tango

De Caro changes tango time signature to 4/4

1920

As part of his refinements, Julio De Caro changed the time signature of most tango pieces from 2/4 to 4/4, fundamentally altering the rhythmic feel of the genre.

'El Sonido de la Milonga' sparks rise of tango

1921

In 1921, 'El Sonido de la Milonga' helped bring about the rise of tango, and introduced it properly as a form to the people, expanding its audience significantly.

Global Spread

Buenos Aires dancers and musicians travel to Europe

1912

By 1912, dancers and musicians from Buenos Aires travelled to Europe, carrying the tango across the Atlantic and igniting enthusiasm on the continent.

First European tango craze takes place in Paris

1912

The first European tango craze took place in Paris, where the dance captivated fashionable society and soon spread to other capitals across the continent.

Tango craze spreads to London and Berlin

1912

Following the initial craze in Paris, London, Berlin, and other capitals quickly embraced the tango, making it one of the most fashionable dances in Europe.

Tango hits New York in the US

Dec 1913

Towards the end of 1913, the tango hit New York in the United States, extending the global dance craze beyond Europe to North America.

Tango reaches Finland

Dec 1913

Towards the end of 1913, tango also arrived in Finland, where it would take root deeply and eventually develop into a distinctive national tradition known as Finnish tango.

Image source: Finnish tango

Tango reaches Finland

Rudolph Valentino stars in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

1921

Italian actor Rudolph Valentino popularized the tango in America, particularly after his electrifying, sensual performance in the 1921 silent film The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Image source: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921 film)

Rudolph Valentino stars in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Valentino's tango scene catapults him to stardom

1921

The film's famous tango scene catapulted Rudolph Valentino to stardom and sparked a widespread tango craze, making the dramatic Argentine dance a huge sensation throughout the Roaring Twenties.

Image source: Rudolph Valentino

Valentino's tango scene catapults him to stardom

Golden Age and Decline

Tango moves to elegant dance palaces

1913

In 1913, tango began to move from the dark side of town to elegant dance palaces, shedding some of its disreputable origins and gaining respectability among the upper classes.

Guidelines set for English ballroom tango style

1922

In 1922, guidelines were first set for the "English" (international) style of ballroom tango, codifying a standardized form of the dance for competition and social dancing.

Image source: Ballroom tango

Guidelines set for English ballroom tango style

Ballroom tango loses popularity in Europe

1922

After guidelines were set for the English style, ballroom tango lost popularity in Europe to new dances including the foxtrot and samba, and as dancing as a whole declined due to the growth of cinema.

Great Depression begins, tango starts to decline in Argentina

1929

In Argentina, the onset in 1929 of the Great Depression caused tango to decline, as economic hardship reduced the audiences and venues that sustained the genre.

Image source: Great Depression

Great Depression begins, tango starts to decline in Argentina

Overthrow of Hipólito Yrigoyen government

1930

Restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930 further contributed to the decline of tango in Argentina during this turbulent period.

Image source: Hipólito Yrigoyen

Overthrow of Hipólito Yrigoyen government

Key Facts

  1. Tango originated in the 1880s-1890s in the port areas of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, among immigrants, workers, and marginalized communities.
  2. The genre was shaped by diverse cultural influences, including African rhythms like candombe, Cuban habanera, Italian and Spanish immigrant music, and Argentine milonga.
  3. Tango's first major international breakthrough came in Paris around 1910-1913, where its popularity among high society transformed it into a fashionable global craze.
  4. The 'Golden Age' of tango (roughly 1935-1955) saw legendary orchestras such as those of Juan D'Arienzo, Carlos Gardel's iconic recordings, and Ástor Piazzolla later revolutionizing the genre with 'nuevo tango.'
  5. In 2009, UNESCO inscribed tango on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing its cultural significance to Argentina and Uruguay.

Source

This History of Tango timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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