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mid-19th c.–
The bandoneón and the orquesta típica
The instrument that defined the very sound of tango: the bandoneón.
The bandoneón arrived in the Río de la Plata in the mid-19th century — originally a portable instrument for church music, brought by German and Italian immigrants.
By the early 1900s it had replaced the flute at the heart of the ensemble, its languid, deep voice becoming the emotional core of tango. In time the orquesta típica — bandoneón, violin, piano and double bass — became the standard tango lineup.
Key terms
- Bandoneón
- A button-key bellows instrument that gives tango its signature sound.
- Orquesta típica
- The standard tango ensemble: bandoneón, violin, piano, double bass, etc.