Juan D'Arienzo. Leader and violinist. (December 14, 1900 – January 14, 1976)
More music by Juan D'Arienzo
1935 is the key year in D'Arienzo´s career; this is the year when the D'Arienzo we all remember really appeared. That happened when in his orchestra Rodolfo Biagi was included, a pianist who had played with Pacho, who had accompanied Gardel on some recordings, who had also played with Juan Guido and with Juan Canaro. D'Arienzo was performing at the Chantecler by then. Biaggi´s inclusion meant a change of time signature for D'Arienzo orchestra, which changed the four-eight for the two-four; that is to say, he returned to two-four, the fast frolic beat of the primitive tangos.
D'Arienzo glorias del tango vol 1. iTunes
When Biagi left him in 1938 to assemble his own orchestra, D'Arienzo had already identified himself with the two-four definitively. Facing the martial rhythm by Canaro, the somewhat street band-like platitude of Francisco Lomuto, and De Caro´s symphonic attempts, D'Arienzo contributed a fresh, juvenile, enlivening air to tango. Tango, which had been an ostentatious, challenging almost gymnastic dance, turned one day, according to Discépolo, into a sad thought which can be danced to... It can be...
The dance had become subsidiary then; but then had been displaced by lyrics and the singers, and now it is displaced by the arrangement. So: D'Arienzo gave tango back to the dancers´feet and with that he made the tango be again of interest for the young. The "king of beat" turned into the king of dancing, and by making people dance he earned a lot of money, which is a nice way to get it. Read more...