Eduardo Arolas was a bandoneon player, composer and conductor. He was born on February 25, 1892 on the Barracas neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The son of French immigrants, as a child, he learned to play the concertina by ear. Later he learned the guitar, an instrument he played with serenading street groups and trios, playing sporadically in neighborhood cafes.
In 1906 he placed a bandoneon on his lap and soon he learned to play it in such a way that he become a virtuoso earning the nickname “The King” and “El Tigre del Bandoneon”.
His first tango was “UNA NOCHE DE GARUFA” (1909). He appeared with Agustin Bardi and Ernesto Ponzio forming his own group with which he performed at the Royal and the Pigalle cabarets.
Luis Alberto Sierra, credits Arolas with the innovative use of eighth note phrasing with the right hand (fraseo octavado). Julio De Caro – who wrote two tangos in his tribute, AROLAS and EL TIGRE DEL BANDONEON – said that Arolas amazed the public with the sound he created with his right hand. His colleagues who came to listen to him said he was the creator of the “rezongo y el fraseo” (grumbling and phrasing.)
Another great bandoneon innovator, Pedro Laurenz said: “Arolas performance was brilliant, energetic, his way to play the tango was very simple, without variations, very nuanced and colorful.”
Eduardo Arolas authored many tangos among which stood out: “DERECHO VIEJO”, “RAWSON”, “EL MARNE” y “MAIPO”.
He died on 29 September 1924 due to pulmonary tuberculosis.
PLAYLIST
01 Derecho Viejo, Sexteto Francisco Pracánico
02 La Guitarrita, Carlos Di Sarli y su Sexteto Tipico
03 Una Noche De Garufa, Carlos Di Sarli y su Sexteto Tipico
04 La Trilla, Florindo Sassone Tango
05 Maipo, Juan D’Arienzo
06 Rawson, Juan D’Arienzo
07 Lágrimas, Osvaldo Pugliese y su Orquesta Tipica
08 Suipacha, Osvaldo Pugliese
09 El Marne, Anibal Troilo Tango
10 Comme Il Faut, Anibal Troilo Tango
11 La cachila, Astor Piazzolla
RADIO DEL TANGO 