Histoire du Tango (History of the Tango) is one of the most celebrated chamber works by Argentine composer and bandoneonist Astor Piazzolla. Originally written for flute and guitar, the composition traces the transformation of tango across four distinct periods, from its popular origins in Buenos Aires to its development as a sophisticated international concert form.

The suite consists of four movements:

Bordel 1900 evokes the lively and provocative atmosphere of the early tango, which emerged in the working-class districts and nightlife of Buenos Aires. Its energetic rhythms, playful gestures, and sharply articulated phrases reflect the music’s youthful and rebellious character.

Café 1930 presents a slower, more lyrical style associated with tango’s movement into cafés and cabarets. The music becomes more intimate and melancholic, emphasizing expressive melody, rubato, and emotional depth.

Nightclub 1960 reflects Piazzolla’s revolutionary nuevo tango, in which traditional Argentine rhythms are combined with jazz harmonies, contrapuntal writing, and modern classical influences. The movement alternates between rhythmic intensity and deeply expressive passages.

Concert d’Aujourd’hui portrays tango as contemporary concert music. Angular rhythms, dissonance, extended instrumental techniques, and avant-garde textures demonstrate how far the genre had evolved from its original social and popular setting.

Throughout the suite, the guitar functions as both rhythmic foundation and equal melodic partner. The music requires precise ensemble coordination, rhythmic flexibility, dynamic contrast, and a strong understanding of tango articulation and phrasing.

Histoire du Tango is not simply a chronological account of the genre. It is Piazzolla’s personal musical interpretation of tango’s evolution—an expressive journey through the history, culture, and changing identity of Buenos Aires.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite in E Minor, BWV 996, commonly known as Lute Suite No. 1, is one of the most frequently performed Baroque works in the classical guitar repertoire.

The suite combines contrapuntal writing, dance rhythms, harmonic depth, and considerable technical variety. Although traditionally associated with the lute, the work translates naturally to the classical guitar and offers an excellent study in articulation, phrasing, ornamentation, rhythm, and independent voicing.

The suite contains six movements:

• Präludium: Passaggio – Presto — A dramatic introduction followed by an energetic contrapuntal section requiring clarity, control, and forward movement.

• Allemande — A reflective dance characterized by expressive lines, subtle rhythmic flexibility, and carefully shaped harmonic direction.

• Courante — A flowing movement that requires light articulation, rhythmic stability, and clear separation between melodic and accompanying voices.

• Sarabande — The emotional center of the suite, demanding patience, sustained tone, expressive ornamentation, and sensitivity to harmonic tension.

• Bourrée — The best-known movement of BWV 996, featuring a memorable contrapuntal dialogue, strong rhythmic character, and precise voice leading.

• Gigue — A lively concluding dance requiring secure coordination, clean articulation, and consistent rhythmic momentum.

As you study the suite, pay particular attention to:

• The character and rhythm of each Baroque dance

• Balance between melody, bass, and inner voices

• Clear articulation of contrapuntal entrances

• Harmonic direction across longer phrases

• Historically informed ornamentation

• Maintaining rhythmic vitality without rushing

• Fingering choices that preserve resonance and musical continuity

Feel free to use the comments to share:

• Fingering alternatives

• Practice strategies

• Interpretive observations

• Recordings or progress videos

• Questions about ornamentation, articulation, or tempo

• Difficult passages you would like the group to examine

Practice the individual voices separately whenever the texture becomes unclear. The objective is not merely to play every note, but to reveal the dance character, harmonic structure, and conversation between the voices.

Which movement are you currently studying, and which one presents the greatest challenge?

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998 is one of the central works of the classical guitar’s Baroque repertoire.

This post features Eliot Fisk’s transcription for solo classical guitar, published by Ricordi, presented in the guitar-friendly key of D major. Bach’s original work is in E-flat major and was associated with lute or keyboard; Fisk’s edition adapts the complete composition to the technical and resonant possibilities of the modern guitar.

The three movements create a complete musical and technical journey:

• The Prelude develops a continuous, flowing texture shaped by harmonic movement and carefully sustained voices.

• The Fugue requires contrapuntal clarity, independence between parts, and a strong understanding of the subject’s development.

• The Allegro demands rhythmic precision, secure articulation, coordination, and controlled momentum.

As you study this edition, pay particular attention to:

• Separation and balance of the individual voices

• Consistency of Fisk’s fingerings and position changes

• Sustaining bass notes and inner voices

• Harmonic direction within long phrases

• Clear articulation without sacrificing legato

• The use of open strings and resonance in D major

Feel free to use the comments to share:

• Fingering alternatives

• Practice questions

• Interpretive observations

• Recordings or progress videos

• Difficult passages you would like the group to examine

Practice each voice independently before rebuilding the full texture. In Bach, technical decisions should always serve the counterpoint, harmonic structure, and direction of the musical phrase.

Which movement would you like to study first: the Prelude, Fugue, or Allegro?