Early Latin Recording in South America: The Tango

Brazil, which predominant language is Portuguese, is where the larger portion of recording takes place in South America. Brazil is where major styles such as the samba developed, hosts the annual Carnival concerning which its music is more elemental than its extraordinary floats, and hosts a huge entertainment industry on scale alike that in the United States, with wide variety and highly populated w prominent names. Unlike popular music in the United States, the origins of MPB or, Brazilian Popular Music, were in political turmoil, having developed from samba (folk) and later bossa nova (jazz), sparking the democratic movement opposed to Brazil's military regime of 1964-85. Just so, MPB is aligned with Brazilian folk music and Brazilian recording prior to the military coup of 1964. Some of the topics concisely mentioned above are supplied broader references under Further Reading below.

One notable exception to Brazil's dominance south of the equator is the development of the tango in Argentina where Spanish is the dominant language. Along with Spanish, the tango is thought to have been developed of African and Cuban influences. The tango is the southern hemisphere's version of the waltz in ballroom dance. The first known tango composition is thought to be 'Dame La Lata' ('Give Me My Tin'), circa 1880, by Juan Pérez. The first tango sheet music published, though not recorded, was 'El Entreriano' by Rosendo Mendizabal in 1897. A much later recording of 'El Entreriano' was arranged toward issue in 2012 by pianist, Jorge Rodolfo Altmann 2012:

The first tango recorded is said to be 'El Choclo' in 1905 by Angel Villoldo. That recording isn't found, the much later rendition below by the Orquesta Tipica of Buenos Aires on an unknown date:

'Causi Nada' is a tango that had been composed by Juan Pacho Maglio toward issue in 1912: Audio.

Come the oddity of a tango titled 'La Rumba' by the Victor Military Band in 1913, that by American composer, James Tim Brymn [1874-1946]:

José Luis Padula's 'Nueve de Julio' saw release by Roberto Firpo in 1916: Audio.

Francisco Canaro issued Eduardo Pereyra's 'El Africano' in 1919: Audio.

Rounding out this presentation of early tango recordings is Osvaldo Fresedo's 'Bésame en la Boca' of 1927. That had been composed by Eduardo Pereyra and José María Rizzuti: