Fabrice Knecht Tango DJ
Style
Orchestra
Singer
Author
Composer
Date
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.
Música de calesita is a Tango written by José González Castillo and composed by Cátulo Castillo.
The lyrics of “Música de calesita” reflect a nostalgic journey to a past love, centered around a carousel (calesita) that serves as a symbol of youthful innocence and the cyclic nature of life and memories. The narrator revisits the place where love once blossomed, evoking a blend of sweet reminiscences tangled with the pain of present reality. The carousel, with its repetitive, circular motion and joyful music, mirrors life’s tendency to circle back to significant moments, despite the forward march of time.
“Alma de la calesita,” or “soul of the carousel,” poetically encapsulates the essence of the song’s nostalgic theme. Carousels typically symbolize joy, youth, and the passage of time. In this tango, it also represents an unchanging point in a world of flux, contrasting the static, repetitive motions of the carousel with the dynamic course of human lives. The “cansino caballo del carrusel” or “weary carousel horse” reflects the writer’s resignation to destiny’s cyclical and sometimes exhausting nature, where one feels as though merely going through the motions.
Recorded in 1930, “Música de calesita” emerged during a time when tango music was a profound expression of the Argentine soul, often embodying themes of love, nostalgia, and existential contemplation. The tango served as a reflection of the socio-economic circumstances of its era, where traditional values clashed with modern uncertainties. In this historical context, the carousel symbolizes a longing for simpler, more certain times amidst the Great Depression’s global impacts.
José González Castillo was a prominent Argentine playwright, poet, and tango lyricist, known for his impactful contributions to the genre.