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.
La cumparsita is a Tango written by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez and composed by Gerardo Matos Rodriguez.
La cumparsita reflects a poignant narrative about loss, guilt, and redemption. The story provides a deep dive into the life of a man who, distracted by a destructive love, neglects and abandons his caring mother, only to face profound regret when he returns to find her dead. This tango sets a tragic tone from the outset, focusing on themes of mortality and the inevitable reflections on one’s choices at life’s end.
The lyrics of “La cumparsita” are filled with symbolic imagery that enhances the themes of the tango. The “cumparsa of endless miseries” symbolizes the parade of suffering that the protagonist faces, which continues until his death. The abandonment of his “viejita” who dies of cold, symbolizes his cold-hearted abandonment of his moral duties, which leads to literal and figurative coldness and death. The eventual forgiveness from his mother, envisioned as being granted from heaven, symbolizes a spiritual cleansing or absolution that finally brings him peace.
The tango, “La cumparsita,” which Basilio recorded in 1987, was woven into the fabric of Argentine culture, where tango was both a reflection of the social struggles and a cathartic expression for the people. During this period, Argentine society faced numerous upheavals, and the themes of separation, sorrow, and reminiscence in the tango resonate with the broader experiences of loss and nostalgia for better days amongst the populace. The motifs of suffering and redemption can also be seen as metaphoric for the culture’s attempt to reconcile with its past and long for moral and societal healing.
Gerardo Matos Rodriguez was the composer of “La cumparsita,” one of the most renowned tangos globally, embodying deep, emotional narratives within its melodies.