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La cumparsita

La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and recorded by Osvaldo Fresedo in 1979. Osvaldo Fresedo has recorded La cumparsita as an instrumental Tango.
“La Cumparsita,” or “The Little Parade,” is an evocative tango melody that captures the bittersweet essence of life’s fleeting moments. The name suggests a small procession, symbolizing the dance of memories and emotions that march through the heart. Each note, like a step, tells a story of love, longing, and the inevitable passage of time.

Tango

Style

Osvaldo Fresedo

Orchestra

Instrumental

Singer

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Author

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Composer

1979/10/30

Date

Instrumental
Instrumental
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo

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La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

La cumparsita recorded by other Orchestras

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"

The procession
Of endless miseries
Parades
Around that being
Ill
Who soon will die
Of sorrow.
That’s why in his bed
He sobs distressed
Recalling the past
That causes him to suffer…

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

Long after
He returned to his maternal home,
To try and heal his sick
And wounded heart…
And he learned
That his saintly little mother,
Whom he had left
Last winter,
Died of cold…

Today alone, forsaken
By his sad fate,
He anxiously awaits death
That soon will come,
And amid the bleak coldness
Slowly seizing his heart,
He felt the harsh sensation
Of his wickedness…

Among shadows
He is heard breathing
In pain,
Who, before dying,
Smiles
Because a sweet peace
Comes to him…
He felt that from heaven
His good little mother,
Easing his pains,
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

“La cumparsita,” which translates to “The Little Parade,” tells a poignant story of love, loss, and redemption. This piece is a narrative of a dying man, reflecting on his life’s choices and their repercussions. He reminisces his past passions and moments of departure, marked by abandoning his mother, which eventually leads to his endless regret and seeking redemption in his final hours.



Symbolism of La cumparsita

Symbolism is rich and profound in “La cumparsita”. The “cumparsa de miserias sin fin” symbolizes the continuous parade of unending miseries that surround the protagonist, reflecting the agonies and despair that accompany him towards death. The reference to his mother (“viejita”) who dies of cold is an emotional reflection on neglect and abandonment. Her forgiveness in his final hours symbolically represents a moment of spiritual and emotional salvation, underscoring the themes of love and redemption embedded in this Tango. Phrases like “y por otro lo dejó” and “Sintió la cruda sensación de su maldad” encapsulate the betrayal and self-realization that visit the protagonist, enhancing the stark emotional tapestry of the Tango.



La cumparsita in historic Context

“La cumparsita” was created and recorded at the tail-end of the 1970s, a period of significant cultural and political changes in Argentina. This context influences the Tango’s themes of despair, loneliness, and longing for forgiveness. The cultural importance of Tango as a vehicle for expressing emotional and societal struggles is particularly pronounced during this era, making “La cumparsita” a reflection not only of personal loss but also of the larger societal melancholy that pervaded during the time.



Gerardo Matos Rodriguez

Gerardo Matos Rodriguez was a prominent Uruguayan musician known for contributing greatly to the genre of Tango, with “La cumparsita” being one of his most famous and enduring works.