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.
Maldonado (2) is a Tango written by Luis Rubistein and composed by Luis Visca.
The tango “Maldonado (2)” explores a vivid narrative set around the Maldonado stream in Buenos Aires. It represents a darker vista of life in the arrabal, or suburbs, conveying tales of crime, love, and despair. The lyrical content is a poignant recount of the numerous tragedies that the stream, portrayed almost as a silent witness and keeper of sordid secrets, has observed. These include fights leading to death, unrequited and expired loves, and other facets of a harsh life in lower socioeconomic surroundings.
The Maldonado stream itself is symbolic, embodying the flow of life and untold tales in the suburbs. The repeated exclamation “¡Maldonado!” at the beginning of verses highlights both an invocation and a lamentation. The imagery of the “agua turbia” (turbid water) stained with blood symbolizes the stream’s silent testimony to violent acts. Phrases like “En tu libro de memorias cobijó su historia todo el arrabal” (In your book of memories, the whole suburbs took shelter in its story) suggest that Maldonado has become a repository for collective memory of the community’s suffering and resilience.
Created in 1928, Argentina was experiencing a period of significant change, following the Infamous Decade noted for its corruption and national reformation attempts. This piece reflects the socioeconomic disparities and the harsh realities of life in the margins of Buenos Aires. The tango serves as an artistic expression and critique of the societal conditions of the time, encapsulating the struggles of the arrabals which were often neglected in the grand narratives of the city’s history.
Luis Rubistein was an Argentinian lyricist known for capturing the spirit and struggles of urban life in Buenos Aires through his tangos.