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La cumparsita

La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and recorded by Armando Pontier in 1955. Armando Pontier has recorded La cumparsita as an instrumental Tango.
“La Cumparsita,” which translates to “The Little Procession,” carries with it an air of nostalgia and longing. This title evokes imagery of a solemn parade, each note a step forward into the past, where memories dance and whispers of yearning linger. In its melody, one senses the bittersweet passage of time, an eternal dance of heartache and grace.

Tango

Style

Armando Pontier

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Author

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Composer

1955/9/13

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Armando Pontier
Armando Pontier

Discover Other Orchestras

José Basso – Mama yo quiero un novio – 1970/1/1
José Basso – Necesito olvidar – 1968/1/1
José Basso – Sentimiento gaucho – 1948/1/1
José Basso – Brazo de oro – 1961/4/18
José Basso – Amor y tango – 1967/1/1
Edgardo Donato – Candombiando – 1930/1/1
Edgardo Donato – La shunca – 1941/1/21
Edgardo Donato – Será una noche – 1952/6/25
Edgardo Donato – Cua pummarola – 1932/1/1
Edgardo Donato – Jorge Duval – 1950/8/14
Julio De Caro – La polca de los pibes – 1938/1/10
Julio De Caro – Solterona – 1929/1/1
Julio De Caro – De rompe y raja – 1949/10/19
Julio De Caro – Dulce esperanza – 1936/3/13
Julio De Caro – Medio dia – 1928/4/30
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – La pulpera de Santa Lucía – 1987/1/1
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – Del uno al cinco – 1987/1/1
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – El choclo – 1987/1/1
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – La puñalada – 1987/1/1
Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgán) – El amanecer – 1987/1/1

Recommended

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.

La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

1955/9/13 – Lagrimas de sangre – Armando Pontier
1955/9/16 – Nido gaucho – Carlos di Sarli
1955/9/16 – Verdemar – Carlos di Sarli
1955/9/16 – Amurado – Jose Basso
1955/9/16 – Guardia vieja – Jose Basso
La cumparsita – 1943/11/5 – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1942/11/12 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/7/16 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – (unknown date) – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1955/6/20 – Carlos di Sarli – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1963/4/9 – Anibal Troilo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1937/12/14 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/9/12 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1943/11/23 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1968/9/11 – Cuarteto Anibal TROILO – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1963/12/10 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1971/12/7 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 2015/1/1 – Juan D-Arienzo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1946/2/8 – Angel d-Agostino – Angel Vargas
La cumparsita – 1964/4/24 – Miguel Calo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1927/5/3 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1943/6/28 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1979/10/30 – Osvaldo Fresedo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1926/11/7 – Pedro Laurenz – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1953/9/22 – Pedro Laurenz – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1942/9/10 – Rodolfo Biagi – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1940/11/18 – Ricardo Tanturi – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1935/5/6 – Edgardo Donato – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1944/6/3 – Alfredo De Angelis – Nestor Rodi
La cumparsita – 1961/8/29 – Alfredo De Angelis – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1953/1/22 – Enrique Rodriguez – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1955/9/16 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1956/7/26 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1961/4/28 – Jose Basso – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1983/1/1 – Jose Basso –
La cumparsita – 1968/5/2 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1956/11/29 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1954/11/25 – Hector Varela – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1966/3/21 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1973/1/1 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1968/5/30 – Florindo Sassone – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1957/1/1 – Astor Piazzolla – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1951/1/1 – Astor Piazzolla – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1950/5/17 – Osmar Maderna – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1977/1/1 – Enrique Francini – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1928/1/11 – Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1917/1/1 – Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1937/7/4 – Cuarteto Tipico Roberto Firpo – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1973/1/1 – Francini-Pontier – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1946/12/16 – Francini-Pontier – Alberto Podesta
La cumparsita – 1955/9/13 – Armando Pontier – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 211/12/1 – Horacio Salgan – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1987/1/1 – Nuevo Quinteto Real (Horacio Salgan) – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1930/1/1 – Julio De Caro – Instrumental
La cumparsita – 1926/5/12 – Orquesta Tipica Victor – Instrumental

Letra del Tango La cumparsita

La cumparsa

De miserias sin fin

Desfila

En torno de aquel ser

Enfermo

Que pronto ha de morir

De pena.

Por eso es que en su lecho

Solloza acongojado

Recordando el pasado

Que lo hace padecer…



Abandonó a su viejita

Que quedó desamparada,

Y loco de pasión

Ciego de amor

Corrió tras de su amada,

Que era linda, era hechicera

De lujuria era una flor,

Que burló su querer

Hasta que se cansó

Y por otro lo dejó…



Largo tiempo después

Cayó al hogar materno,

Para poder curar su enfermo

Y herido corazón…

Y supo

Que su viejita santa,

La que él había dejado

El invierno pasado

De frío se murió…



Hoy ya solo, abandonado

A lo triste de su suerte,

Ansioso espera a la muerte

Que bien pronto ha de llegar,

Y entre la triste frialdad

Que lenta invade el corazón,

Sintió la cruda sensación

De su maldad…



Entre sombras

Se le oye respirar

Sufriente,

Al que antes de morir

Sonríe

Porque una dulce paz

Le llega…

Sintió que desde el cielo

Su madrecita buena,

Mitigando sus penas

Sus culpas perdonó…!

English lyrics of the Tango "La cumparsita"

A parade
Of endless miseries
Marches around
That sick being
Who will soon die
Of sorrow.

That’s why in his bed
He sobs distressed
Remembering the past
That makes him suffer…

He left his old mother,
Who was left helpless,
Mad with passion
Blind with love
He ran after his beloved,
Who was beautiful, was enchanting,
A flower of lust,
Who scorned his love
Until she tired of him
And left him for another…

Long time later
He returned to his mother’s home,
To heal his sick
And wounded heart…
And he knew
His saintly little mother,
Whom he had abandoned
Last winter
Died of cold…

Today, now alone, forsaken
By the sadness of his fate,
Eagerly awaits death
Which will soon arrive,
And among the sad coldness
That slowly seizes the heart,
He felt the harsh sensation
Of his evilness…

Among shadows
You can hear him breathe, suffering,
He who before dying
Smiles
Because a sweet peace
Reaches him…
He felt that from heaven
His good little mother,
Easing his pain
Forgave his sins…!

La cumparsita by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and composed by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez.



Story behind the Tango La cumparsita

The lyrics of “La Cumparsita” portray a poignant story of loss, remorse, and the inevitable passage of life. The protagonist reflects on his past decisions which led to suffering and despair. Abandoning his old mother for a passionate love that eventually betrays him, he returns, too late, to find that his mother has died. This leads him to a lonely, remorseful wait for death, haunted by the harsh realities of his choices.



Symbolism of La cumparsita

“La cumparsita,” which translates to “The Little Parade,” symbolically represents the parade of life’s hardships and miseries around the protagonist. Key phrases such as “Enfermo que pronto ha de morir de pena” (Sick soon to die of sorrow) and “Cayó al hogar materno, Para poder curar su enfermo Y herido corazón” (Fell back to the maternal home, To heal his sick and wounded heart) encapsulate the themes of regret and the consequences of one’s actions. The recurring imagery of illness and death underscores the emotional and physical decline due to personal failures and societal judgments.



La cumparsita in historic Context

Composed in 1916, “La Cumparsita” has roots deep within the urban culture of Uruguay and Argentina, renowned for its rich tango tradition. By the time Gerardo Matos Rodriguez recorded this piece in 1955, tango had evolved into a profound form of emotional expression, mirroring the dramatic and often tragic tales of its lower-class origins. The historical backdrop of this period includes the complex social dynamics and a sense of nostalgia and melancholy prevalent in post-war South America, which resonates deeply in the song’s exploration of personal tragedy and societal woes.



Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez was a Uruguayan musician and composer, best known for composing the famous tango “La cumparsita,” one of the most recognizable and recorded tangos globally.