Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
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These Tangos, Valses, and Milongas were recorded around the same time. Take a look to discover what else this orchestra—or others—may have recorded during the same week or even on the exact same day.
Gran Hotel Victoria (Hotel Victoria) is a Tango written by Carlos Pesce and composed by Feliciano Latasa.
The lyrics of “Gran Hotel Victoria” evoke a profound sense of nostalgia and loss, centered around a once majestic but now demolished hotel. The hotel is portrayed as a witness to the lyrical subject’s youthful dreams and romantic experiences. As the building faced its physical end, the emotions connected with it resurfaced, highlighting themes of love and heartbreak. The demolition of the hotel parallels the demise of a passionate relationship, signifying the inevitable passage of time and the sorrow of lost youth.
The “Gran Hotel Victoria” symbolizes more than just a physical location; it represents a bygone era of elegance and emotional depth. The repeated mention of the hotel in the song acts as a powerful symbol for memories and the past that cannot be revived. Phrases like “hoy recuerdo aquellos días” and “los recuerdos son ahora muy amargos” emphasize how memories, whether sweet or bitter, are all that remain of both the hotel and the love once shared. The hotel’s demolition symbolizes the finality of the past, underscoring that some things remain only in memory and song.
Released in 1935, during a period of significant cultural and economic shifts in Argentina, “Gran Hotel Victoria” reflects a common sentiment of melancholia prevalent in Tango music. This period witnessed the impact of the Great Depression and a growing sense of nostalgia and loss within the community. The song captures this sentiment, using the hotel as a focal point of a vanished splendid past, possibly echoing societal changes during that time.
Carlos Pesce was a prolific Argentine lyricist known for his contributions to the Tango genre.