If you want to improve your dancing, listen to a lot of music… so, as promised during last Musicality class, here are the four Orchestras to know about: Di Sarli, D’Arienzo, Troilo and Pugliese. 

We focused on these four orchestras because they are the most influential, but there are obviously plenty more. Below are some of their most famous songs, the ones you will hear a lot in milongas. For each orchestra, the first song is instrumental, then we selected three others with some of the most famous singers. Again, there are other signers.

Di Sarli, ‘el señor del tango’ (the ‘sir’ of tango) – walking, elegance, light 

• Di Sarli – Don Juan
• Di Sarli – Tristeza Marina
• Di Sarli with Alberto Podesta – Tu, el cielo y tu
• Di Sarli with Jorge Duran – Vieja Luna

D’Arienzo, ‘el rey del compas’ (the king of the beat) – more choppy, all about rhythm

• D’Arienzo – El Flete
• D’Arienzo with Alberto Echagüe – Pensalo Bien
• D’Arienzo with Hector Maure – Amarras
• D’Arienzo with Valdez – Remenbranzas – the sound quality is not amazing but you see the maestro in action, and it’s worth a look!

Troilo, ‘el Gordo’ (a surname that does not reflect the quality of the music) – 

• Troilo – Cachirulo
• Troilo with Roberto Fiorentino – A bailar
• Troilo with Floreal Ruiz – Naranjo En Flor
• Troilo with Roberto Goyeneche – Barrio de Tango

Pugliese – more dramatic, usually danced at the end of the milonga, when the dancefloor is less full (as dancers tend to dance with wider movements on Pugliese)

• Pugliese – La Yumba
• Pugliese – A Evaristo Carriego
• Pugliese with Jorge Maciel – Esta Noche de Luna
• Pugliese with Alberto Morán – Que Nunca me falte

Happy listening!