About The Bandoneón Review
The Bandoneón Review is an independent editorial journal devoted to the music of Astor Piazzolla and the nuevo tango. It exists for one reason: to help people listen more closely to one of the great bodies of music of the twentieth century.
What this is
Everything here is written as appreciation and history — biography, context, listening notes, and essays on the works, the instrument and the tradition. We treat Astor Piazzolla (1921–1992) as the major historical figure he is, and we treat his music as living repertoire worth explaining to newcomers and defending to skeptics. The site is a labour of enthusiasm, not a business.
What this is not
This journal is independent and unofficial. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any tango venue, theatre, dinner-show, ensemble, record label, or the estate or foundation of Astor Piazzolla. We sell nothing and book nothing: there are no tickets, no reservations, no tours and no events here. Where we mention institutions such as the Fundación Astor Piazzolla, we do so only to point readers toward authoritative primary sources — the affiliation runs one way, from our admiration to their record, and no further.
On accuracy
We aim to be careful. The biographical and historical material here follows the broad consensus of standard references such as the Encyclopædia Britannica, the archives of the Library of Congress, and the tango reference site Todo Tango. Music history is full of disputed dates and beloved anecdotes; where a story is legend rather than fact, we try to say so. If you find an error, we would rather know.
How to use the site
New readers usually do best to start with the front page, then read the life and the explainer on nuevo tango, before diving into the essential works and the listening guide. The journal ties the threads together. However you arrive, the aim is the same: to send you back to the music itself, listening a little more closely than before.