Horas by María Josefina Vignolo

Horas is a Tango written by María Josefina Vignolo and composed by Juan Esteban Martínez.

Story behind the Tango Horas

The tango “Horas” delves deeply into emotions associated with love, loss, and the passage of time. The narrator reflects on the intensity of life experiences, suggesting that those who haven’t felt strong emotions or who haven’t loved and suffered have not truly experienced life. Expressions of emotional ups and downs, uncertainty, and the beloved are central to understanding the human condition through this tango.

Symbolism of Horas

“Horas” in this context symbolizes moments or periods of time laden with deep emotional significance. Each stanza of the lyrics explores different layers of human emotions—love, heartbreak, anticipation, and joy. Notable phrases like “No conoció las horas del fracaso ni de la dicha, ni del placer” metaphorically express that one must experience the entire spectrum of emotion, from failure to joy to pleasure, to have a fulfilled experience of life. The lyrical construction is a testament to the belief that time and experiences shape one’s existence profoundly.

Horas in Historic Context

The year 1943 when “Horas” was created, was a tumultuous time for Argentina, marked by political instability which eventually led to a military coup. In such a historical backdrop, the focus on personal emotions and individual existential experiences reflects a common retreat into personal lives and emotions as a response to external chaos. The tango, inherently a melancholic and introspective genre, serves as a perfect medium for expressing such layered emotions against a backdrop of wider societal upheaval.

María Josefina Vignolo

María Josefina Vignolo was an influential Argentine lyricist known for her profound contributions to the genre of tango, capturing the complex emotions of love, loss, and the passage of time in her works.