A mi violín corneta: the stylistic development of Argentine tango violinists and the social acceptance of tango, 1910–1935

Meyer, S. (2025) A mi violín corneta: the stylistic development of Argentine tango violinists and the social acceptance of tango, 1910–1935. Doctoral thesis, Royal College of Music.

Abstract

This dissertation examines the development of violin performance practice in Argentine tango from 1910 to 1935, a transformative period during which the genre’s violin techniques underwent a rapid evolution, followed by standardisation and codification, establishing the foundational techniques and stylistic conventions central to the genre today. This study argues that these changes were inextricably tied to the broader socio-cultural context, as tango transitioned from a marginalized expression of Buenos Aires' lower classes to a celebrated música nacional, at a time when Argentina was constructing its national symbols. The study traces these developments through primary sources, namely newspaper and magazine articles, alongside a practice-informed aural analysis of historical recordings. Chapter One, using the analysis of both European and Argentine periodicals, examines Tangomania in Europe (1911–1914), and particularly in Paris, where tango was celebrated as an exotic cultural export. This European fascination reshaped perceptions of the genre’s artistic and social value, accelerating its acceptance among Argentina’s upper and middle classes. Against this backdrop of shifting social attitudes, tango violin playing evolved rapidly, reflecting the genre’s broader process of social integration. The succeeding chapters are case studies of key violinists, which use primary sources and historical recordings to trace how their innovations shaped the instrument’s role in tango ensembles. In addition, a detailed discography has been compiled for each violinist. Early violinists such as Casimiro Alcorta, Ernesto Ponzio, and José Bonano, emerging from a milieu of largely self-taught music making, embodied tango’s origins in the lower classes of Buenos Aires. David Roccatagliata, with formal musical training, introduced experimental techniques that expanded the violin’s expressive possibilities. Finally, Julio De Caro, representing a new generation of middle-class musicians, brought greater artistic ambition and sophistication to tango music. By situating these musical developments within the cultural and historical dynamics of early 20th-century Argentina and its transnational context, this study highlights the violin’s pivotal role in tango’s journey from the margins to mainstream social acceptance.

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