Proyecto King Ingles

Double
Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón

(Concierto para bandoneón y guitarra)
“Hommage à Liège”
by Astor Piazzolla
adapted and arranged for Marimba and Vibraphone:
A Performance Guide
By
Anthony James King, BME, MM
A Dissertation
In
PERCUSSION PERFORMANCE
Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

Of the School of Music
Texas Tech University in
Partial fulfillment of
The Requirements for
The Degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

Performance
(Percussion)
Approved
Dr. Lisa L. Rogers

Chairperson of the Committee
Alan D. Shinn
Dr. Kevin Wass
Accepted
Dr. Mark Sheridan

Dean of the Graduate School
August 2014
Copyright 2014, Anthony James King
Texas Tech University, Anthony James King, August 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank first my undergraduate music percussion Professor
Jeffery M. Moore at the University of Central Florida. Your continual patience and
kindness towards me, love for education, and approach to pedagogical congruency
has made an impression that has lasted for years. I hope to be half the teacher to my
students that you were, and continue to be to me. To Mr. Kirk J. Gay and Mr. Jim
Yakas, you two were invaluable in the process of aiding Professor Moore.
Dr. Dean Gronemier at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, thank you for
helping me to fall in love with defense, categorization, and terminology. These new
tools helped to temper my approach to performance, and taught me to be content
with not knowing, but also to never be complacent with not knowing where to find
information.
Mr. James McKenzie for helping me to go further with my studies and helping
me further pursue my dream. Dr. Mike Cosgrove and Dr. Ramona Torgerson, your
faith in me to continue the path initially set before me in pursuing this degree has
always been a deep motivation for me. I am forever grateful for your hospitality,
prayers, advice, and encouragement. Nick Cannariato, thank you for lending your
ear at some very trying times. Ben and Rhiannon Whiting, thank you for speaking
encouragement sometimes you were the only ones.
Dr. Lisa Rogers and Mr. Alan Shinn, of Texas Tech University for allowing me
to do a project topic that I am passionate about with all my being. I know that there
are many institutions that exist where that is only a dream. Your favor towards me
in allowing the pursuit of this topic has indeed been a great treat. Thank you to Dr.
ii
Kevin Wass for agreeing to be in my committee and offering your guidance with
further literature to read concerning the topics discussed. Thanks to Dr. Thomas
Cimarusti for allowing me to borrow a bandoneón and accordion for demonstration
purposes during the recital.
To Eun Hae Oh, the first person to play Piazzolla’s music with me, many
thanks to you my friend. To the recital performance quartet members Dr. Wonkyung
Kim, Dr. James McDonald, and Mr. Chris Arcy, there is no greater feeling than
playing great music with great musicians and friends.
To Dusty Thompson, Joe Morrow, Jacob Reed, and The Mikel family, thank-‐
you for being there to listen. You made some potentially difficult decisions easier to
process, and carry out. I thank you for your patience and care.
To my Wayland Baptist University colleagues, Mr. Timothy S. Kelley, Dr.
Joseph Vandiver, Dr. Sandra Mostellar, Dr. Kim Brown, Dr. Brian Kunhert, Dr.
Richard Fountain, Dr. Scott Strovas, Dr. Ann Stutes, Dr. Hyung Chae, Dr. Debra
Buford, Dr. Gary D. Belshaw and Ms. Aimee Pineau, your support in listening to me
talk about the topic as it was being honed and shaped was invaluable. I would also
like to thank Wayland administrators, Provost Dr. Bobby Hall and President Dr. Paul
Armes.
To all of my students, past, present and future, I learn from you as much as I
teach. I’m honored that I have had such an influence and hope to continue to do so
for many years to come.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. ii

Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... v
List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... vii
Chapter
I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
Importance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 3
Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................. 3
Related Literature Review .................................................................................................. 4
Limitations of the Study ....................................................................................................... 5
Organization of the Study ................................................................................................... 6
Definition of Terms ............................................................................................................... 7
II. A Concise Overview of the Instruments ................................................................... 13

The Guitar ............................................................................................................................... 13
The Marimba .......................................................................................................................... 14
The Bandoneón ..................................................................................................................... 15
The Vibraphone .................................................................................................................... 16
III. Astor Piazzolla: A Brief Biographical Sketch ........................................................ 18
IV. “Hommage á Liége”: A Description of the Work ................................................... 23

General Overview ................................................................................................................ 23
Introducción ........................................................................................................................... 23
Milonga ..................................................................................................................................... 24
Tango ......................................................................................................................................... 25
V. “Hommage á Liége”: Approach to Adapting and Arranging the Work ........... 29
General Concepts for the Guitar and Bandoneón .................................................. 29
“Introducción” (“Alevare”) ............................................................................................... 33
“Milonga” ................................................................................................................................. 42
“Tango” ..................................................................................................................................... 46
iii
VI. Conclusion and Implications for Further Research ............................................ 54
Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 57
Appendices
A. Diagram of Guitar Parts ............................................................................................... 59

B. Bandoneón Fingering Charts ..................................................................................... 60
C. Comparison of the Original and Adaption/Arrangement .............................. 61
D. Charts of Adaptation and Arrangements .............................................................. 63
iv
ABSTRACT
Astor Piazzolla (1921-‐1992) is known to many as the father of the popular
and distinctive Argentinian musical style of Nuevo Tango and also as a virtuoso
bandoneónist and arranger. He borrowed musical elements from classical, and jazz
music to create this new style of popular music. Many of his guitar works have been
adapted to the marimba due to the favorable similarities of range, rich harmonic
language, and deceptively simplistic, song-‐like lyrical melodies. A few selections
from his oeuvre previously transferred to the percussion idiom include: Histoire du
Tango (marimba [from guitar part] or vibe [from flute part] with another
instrument), Oblivion (marimba ensembles or vibraphone solo), Milonga del Angel
March (keyboard ensemble), Libertango (marimba solos and ensembles, or
vibraphone with other), Tango Suite for Two Guitars (two marimbas or marimba
and vibraphone), Fuga Y Misterio, and Quatro Estaciones (marimba solo), and Fugata
and Tres Minutos, (for percussion ensemble).
The purpose of this document is to create an adaptation and arrangement of
Astor Piazzolla’s Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, while also creating a
performance guide for the marimbist and vibist. In achieving this, the document will
provide a concise developmental history of the guitar, marimba, bandoneón and
vibraphone, as well as a brief biographical sketch of the composer focusing on his
output, in particular the double concerto. Furthermore, the document will include
an overview of the individual movements of the double concerto and finally a
discussion of the musical and technical considerations of the adaptation and
arranging process of the work. The adaptation/arranging guide provided by the
v
author will involve the process of: adding/removing notes, octave displacements,
mallet dampening/muffling, harmonics, and the use of col legno with the
musical/aesthetic reasons for each technique employed.
In 2001, the author first heard Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango for guitar
and flute, creating an intense love for the composer’s sense of musical style. Three
years later, the author heard the same composition with the instrumentation of the
marimba and violin. It was at this point that a desire to play Piazzolla’s composition
on the marimba grew enormously. March 24th, 2012 brought to fruition this desire
with the opportunity to Histoire du Tango himself with the help of flutist Eun Hae
Oh, not only for his recital by also for internationally acclaimed flautist Claudio
Barile who himself once played for Piazzolla at the age of seventeen. Later in 2013,
while looking at other compositions by Piazzolla the author discovered “Hommage á
Liége.” Upon listening to the premier performance of the Double Concerto for Guitar
and Bandoneón, the author located a reduction from Henry Lemoine publications,
and re-‐engraved the score into a music notation software program. After various
opportunities to continue listening to Chaco Tirao, the original guitarist, notes on
performance and execution, and their transferability to the marimba were made.
During the re-‐engraving process of the music, the same was being done for
Piazzolla’s bandoneón part (played by Piazzolla at the premier performance) for the
vibraphone. It is the author’s intent via this document to record the events and
process(es) needed to create a viable percussion adaptation and arrangement of the
work.
vi
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. – Labeled guitar parts ....................................................................................................... 14
Figure 2. – Milonga rhythm ................................................................................................................ 25
Figure 3. – Tango rhythm .................................................................................................................... 26
Figure 4. – Extended chord ................................................................................................................. 27
Figure 5. – Poly-‐tonal chords ............................................................................................................ 27
Figure 6. – Closing chord ...................................................................................................................... 28
Figure 7. – Second-‐half of opening guitar cadenza ................................................................... 29
Figure 8a. – Treble clef (for guitar) ................................................................................................. 32
Figure 8b. – Treble down clef used for marimba ....................................................................... 32
Figure 9a. – Two-‐note anacrusis ....................................................................................................... 33
Figure 9b. – Three-‐note anacrusis .................................................................................................. 33
Figure 10a. – Guitar glissando .......................................................................................................... 33
Figure 10b. – Adapted diatonic glissando .................................................................................... 33
Figure 11. – Rippled chord .................................................................................................................. 34
Figure 12a. – Guitar “cues” .................................................................................................................. 34
Figure 12b. – Adapted nodal indication ........................................................................................ 34
Figure 12c. – Mallet placement near the node ............................................................................ 34
Figure 13a. – Guitar harmonic ........................................................................................................... 35
Figure 13b. – Marimba col lengo notation/indication ............................................................. 35
Figure 13c. – Picture demonstrating the col legno technique ............................................. 35
Figure 14. – Nation of harmonic and “cue” combined ............................................................. 35
Figure 15a. – Guitar notation ............................................................................................................. 36
vii
Figure 15b. – Notation of body dampening ................................................................................ 36
Figure 16a. – Normal playing position ........................................................................................... 36
Figure 16b. – Body dampening position ...................................................................................... 36
Figure 17. – Original instruction ....................................................................................................... 37
Figure 18. – Picture of “marimshot” ................................................................................................ 37
Figure 19. – Phrase with first example of note extraction ................................................... 37
Figure 20a. – Original melodic gesture .......................................................................................... 38
Figure 20b. – Marimba arrangement of gesture ........................................................................ 38
Figure 21a. – Original guitar phrase ................................................................................................ 38
Figure 21b. – Adapted phrase ............................................................................................................ 38
Figure 22a. – Original section of harmonics ............................................................................... 39
Figure 22b. – Added chord tones ...................................................................................................... 39
Figure 22c. – End-‐tap technique ...................................................................................................... 39
Figure 23a. – Bandoneón entrance, m. 26 .................................................................................... 40
Figure 23b. – Vibraphone entrance, m. 26 ................................................................................... 40
Figure 24. – Added chromatic grace notes ................................................................................... 40
Figure 25a. – Guitar open chord voicings, mm. 34-‐42 ............................................................. 40
Figure 25b. – Marimba closed voicings with ripple, mm. 34-‐42 ......................................... 41
Figure 26a. – Guitar phrase with glissandi, mm. 48-‐51 .......................................................... 41
Figure 26b. – Marimba doubling and grace notes, mm. 48-‐51 ............................................ 41
Figure 27a. – Original closing phrase for guitar ......................................................................... 42
Figure 27b. – Closing phrase with added meter ........................................................................ 42
Figure 28a. – Guitar opening statement of “Milonga” movement, mm. 1-‐4 ................... 42
viii
Figure 28b. – Opening section phrase for marimba, mm. 1-‐4 .............................................. 43
Figure 28c. – Baroque-‐style interpretation of opening phrase, mm. 1-‐4 ........................ 43
Figure 29a. – Guitar, m. 12 ................................................................................................................... 44
Figure 29b. – Marimba, m. 12 ............................................................................................................ 44
Figure 30a. – Guitar, m. 17 ................................................................................................................... 44
Figure 30b. – Marimba, m. 17 ............................................................................................................ 44
Figure 31a. – Bandoneón, m. 4 ........................................................................................................... 46
Figure 31b. – Vibraphone pitch-‐displacements, m. 4 .............................................................. 46
Figure 32a. – Bandoneón, m. 18 ........................................................................................................ 47
Figure 32b. – Vibraphone redaction, m. 18 .................................................................................. 47
Figure 33a. – Bandoneón, mm. 10 and 14 .................................................................................... 47
Figure 33b. – Vibraphone adaptation, mm. 10 and 14 ............................................................ 47
Figure 34a. – Bandoneón, mm. 69 and 70 .................................................................................... 48
Figure 34b. – Vibraphone, mm. 69 and 70 ................................................................................... 48
Figure 35a. – Guitar chords, mm. 71 and 72 ................................................................................ 48
Figure 35b. – Marimba, mm. 71 and 72 ........................................................................................ 48
Figure 36a. – Bandoneón/guitar mm. 119-‐122 ......................................................................... 49
Figure 36b. – Vibraphone/marimba mm. 119-‐122 .................................................................. 49
Figure 37a. – Bandoneón, m. 125 with inverted mordents ................................................... 49
Figure 37b. – Possible interpretation of m. 125 ......................................................................... 50
Figure 37c. – Preferred interpretation of m. 125 ...................................................................... 50
Figure 38a. – Bandoneón/guitar double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133 ....................................... 51
Figure 38b. – Vibraphone/marimba double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133 ................................ 51
ix
Figure 39. – Bandoneón, mm. 153 and 157 ................................................................................. 52
Figure 40a. – Original ending, mms. 200-‐201 ............................................................................ 53
Figure 40b. – Arranged ending, mm. 200-‐201 ............................................................................ 53
x
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Astor Piazzolla (1921-‐1992) is known to many as the father of the popular
and distinctive Argentinian musical style of Nuevo Tango and also as a virtuoso
bandoneónist and arranger. He borrowed musical elements from classical, and jazz
music to create this new style of popular music. Many of his guitar works have been
adapted to the marimba due to the favorable similarities of range, rich harmonic
language, and deceptively simplistic, song-‐like lyrical melodies. A few selections
from his oeuvre previously transferred to the percussion idiom include: Histoire du
Tango (marimba [from guitar part] or vibe [from flute part] with another
instrument), Oblivion (marimba ensembles or vibraphone solo), Milonga del Angel
March (keyboard ensemble), Libertango (marimba solos and ensembles, or
vibraphone with other), Tango Suite for Two Guitars (two marimbas or marimba
and vibraphone), Fuga Y Misterio, and Quatro Estaciones (marimba solo), and Fugata
and Tres Minutos. (for percussion ensemble).
The purpose of this document is to create an adaptation and arrangement of
Astor Piazzolla’s Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, while also creating a
performance guide for the marimbist and vibist. In achieving this, the document will
provide a concise developmental history of the guitar, marimba, bandoneón and
vibraphone, as well as a brief biographical sketch of the composer focusing on his
output, in particular the double concerto. Furthermore, the document will include
an overview of the individual movements of the double concerto and finally a
discussion of the musical and technical considerations of the adaptation and
1

arranging process of the work. The adaptation/arranging guide provided by the
author will involve the process of: adding/removing notes, octave displacements,
mallet dampening/muffling, harmonics, and the use of col legno with the
musical/aesthetic reasons for each technique employed.
In 2001, the author first heard Astor Piazzolla’s Histoire du Tango for guitar
and flute, creating an intense love for the composer’s sense of musical style. Three
years later, the author heard the same composition with the instrumentation of the
marimba and violin. It was at this point that a desire to play Piazzolla’s composition
on the marimba grew enormously. March 24th, 2012 brought to fruition this desire
with the opportunity to Histoire du Tango himself with the help of flutist Eun Hae
Oh, not only for his recital by also for internationally acclaimed flautist Claudio
Barile who himself once played for Piazzolla at the age of seventeen. Later in 2013,
while looking at other compositions by Piazzolla the author discovered “Hommage á
Liége.” Upon listening to the premier performance of the Double Concerto for Guitar
and Bandoneón, the author located a reduction from Henry Lemoine publications,
and re-‐engraved the score into a music notation software program. After various
opportunities to continue listening to Chaco Tirao, the original guitarist, notes on
performance and execution, and their transferability to the marimba were made.
During the re-‐engraving process of the music, the same was being done for
Piazzolla’s bandoneón part (played by Piazzolla at the premier performance) for the
vibraphone. It is the author’s intent via this document to record the events and
process(es) needed to create a viable percussion adaptation and arrangement of the
work.
2

IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
The author believes that the marimba has become an increasingly popular
instrument for percussionists and composers alike particularly in the setting of a
soloist with a large ensemble. Although to a lesser degree, the percussion culture
has also seen the rise of the same type of works for the solo vibraphonist. While
there may be a growing number of these types of works for these instruments
separately, such as with one performer on both instruments, often between
movements, (Ney Rosauro’s Serenata requires the soloist to play both instruments
simultaneously in the later movements),1 there is however, a dearth of concerto
literature utilizing both marimba and vibraphone as self-‐contained soloists in a
concerto format.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The author believes that one reason adaptations/transcriptions are often
used in concert performances by musicians is to widen the previously perceived
limitations of a particular instrument. Another possibility might be to bring a lesser-‐
known or new instrument into the public eye. For the latter, one only need to
research Clair Omar Musser’s adaptations for the marimba band (or marimba
orchestra), in North America to further exploit the growing popularity of the
instrument. One purpose of this project is to try to expand the possibilities of both
the marimba and the vibraphone as they interact in the concerto medium, from both
a performance and compositional perspective. Another purpose is to showcase the

1. Ney Rosauro, Serenata, mvt. III. – The Journey. Hackettstown: PróPercussão Brasil. 2007.

3

value of using music composed for the bandoneón for its apt transferability to the
vibraphone.
Specific objectives of this project are to: (1) concisely document a
developmental history of each of the four instruments, (2) discuss briefly the life
and musical style of composer Astor Piazzolla, and in particular where in his output
the double concerto occurs, (3) present an overview of the individual movements of
the double concerto and finally (4) discuss the adaptation and arranging process of
Piazzolla’s Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège” for guitar
and bandoneón, covering the musical and technical considerations involved. These
considerations include: adding/removing notes, octave displacements, mallet
dampening/muffling, harmonics, and the use of col legno with the musical/aesthetic
reasons for each technique employed.

RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW
To acquire a relevant historical and developmental understanding for each
instrument, a variety of sources were considered. For the physical developments of
the guitar, The Art and Times of the Guitar (1969) by Frederic V. Grunfeld was used,
and for the marimba, the initial chapters of Dr. David P. Eyler’s dissertation entitled,
The History and Development of the Marimba Ensemble in the United States and It’s
Current Status in College and University Percussion Programs (1985), and John H.
Beck’s Encyclopedia of Percussion, (1995). Resources consulted for the bandoneón,
were various conversations with contemporary bandoneónist Ben Bogart, as well as
browsing several bandoneón websites. Lastly, for the vibraphone, the same sources
were used as for the marimba with the exception of Dr. Eyler’s dissertation.
4

This document is primarily a performance guide focusing on the various
techniques needed to create an adaptation/arrangement of Piazzolla’s Double
Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, to the Marimba and Vibraphone. The original
arrangement completed by Jonathan Goldman utilizes the piano and double bass,
and while these parts were also added by the author, the arrangement of these parts
were not altered in anyway and therefore will only be discussed in terms of various
chord structures.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The methods and techniques explored in this document were specifically
cultivated from looking at Astor Piazzolla’s Double Concerto for Guitar and
Bandoneón, and none of his other compositions. The techniques and procedures
discussed therein may be readily appropriated to any other guitar (or bandoneón)
composition at the reader’s discretion. The portion of the study that pertains to the
historical developments of the instruments is designed to be merely contextual and
not intended to be a fully exhaustive exercise. If the reader desires more specific
information, they need only look to the bibliography. Information about the
composer also is intended to be cursory and not comprehensive. The section of the
document dealing with the description of the work is not considered to be an in-‐
depth discussion of theory and formal construction, but again designed for giving
context. The chapter dealing with the adaptations and arrangements speaks only of
the changes made or utilized to the work, and therefore does not seek to describe
how each measure is played with considerations of sticking or mallet choices. This is
5

done out of brevity as to not bog the reader down, with superfluous reading, and
also assumes the reader’s musical maturity.

ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

Chapter I of this document contains the Introduction. The Introduction
consists of the Abstract, Importance of the Study, Purpose of the Study, a Related
Literature Review, Limitations of the Study, Organization of the Study, and the
Definition of Terms.
The second chapter gives abbreviated descriptions of each of the main
instruments involved with the study. These instruments are the guitar, marimba,
bandoneón, and the vibraphone. The descriptions also contain a concise historical
development of each instrument. The author’s intent within this chapter is not to be
fully exhaustive, but to set a framework for his research for the growth and
development of the various instruments.
Chapter III focuses on the composer’s life as well as how the double concerto
fits within his compositional output. As the chapter does cover important dates,
times, and events as mentioned about the previous chapter, it is not intended to be a
thoroughly comprehensive review, but one designed for the purpose of context.
The fourth chapter contains information about Piazzolla’s Double Concerto as
a whole, and each of the three movements from a compositional perspective in
terms of dance forms and structure. The movements are discussed in terms of how
they are related to one other. The discussion is only intended to show the
relationship of the dances and how they function in Argentine society. The author
6

does not present a rigorous harmonic or formal analysis in this chapter or further in
the document.
Chapter V discusses the author’s considerations during the adaption and
arranging processes. This chapter also discusses how the percussionists should
consider performing each of the arranged sections. The document does not intend
or desire to speak upon the performance technique of every measure of the
composition, but only those altered for ease and playability for the percussionist.
Also, in keeping with the aforementioned goal, the author has declined the
opportunity to rearticulate every instance of the same type of alteration.
The sixth chapter contains the conclusionary material. This chapter
summarizes the goals of the author from a compositional, technical, and aesthetical
perspective as well as discusses several other topics of research that may be readily
taken upon by the reader, or other music scholars, for further study.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

While endeavoring to complete such a task as adapting and arranging music,
the author believes one requires the assimilation, standardization and utilization of
a variety of terms with several connotations within the world of music. It is with
dismay that a great number of times, these words are either used connotatively
(which at times may be out right contradictory, instead of their original denotative
meaning), or their denotative meanings may be confusing and vague creating a
plethora of dissimilar and obtuse dialogues/titles. (Various texts allude to the fact
that the terms transcribe and transcription are sometimes used interchangeably
7

with arrange and arrangement).2 Therefore, with the motivation to achieve
intellectual congruency with the reader, the author either “re-‐defined,” delineated,
or borrowed from other disciplines’ meanings as to how these terms will be used for
the purposes of this dissertation and hopefully future discourse(s). The New Oxford
American Dictionary, New Harvard Dictionary of Music, various volumes of The New
Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (second edition), and the Merriam-‐Webster
Dictionary were all consulted.

Structure and Form

Adaptation -‐ According to Merriam-‐Webster, the ternary definition is
“something that is adapted; specifically: a composition rewritten into a new form.”3
In terms of a working musical definition, the author has qualified this as when sheet
music is being used in the process, the act of transferring (or adapting) an already-‐
written musical selection from one instrument and applying it directly to another
instrument. Ideally, there is no changing of key, or tonality from the original, only
timbre. While there may be some octave displacement required, due to somewhat
incompatible ranges, the integrity of the melodic lines’ direction and harmonic
material (chord voicing) is largely retained whenever possible.
Arrangement – The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians states that
an arrangement is “the adaption of a composition for a medium different from what

2. Stanley Sadie, and John Tyrell, eds. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd
ed. Vol 1. (London: The Macmillian Co., 2001), 53. “arrangement.”

3. Mish, Frederick C. et al., Merriam Webster Dictionary, 11th ed. (Springfield: Merriam
Webster Incorporated, 2005), 14. “adaptation.”

8

that for which it was originally compose . . . .”4 The author has further elaborated the
term to specifically identify the process of either expanding or diminishing (thus
labeled a reduction) a composition by adding, consolidating, or removing notes or
melodic counter-‐melodic material in order to fill (fit) an ensemble, or change the
character of a piece due to the transference of the performance ensemble’s medium.
e.g. Copland’s Hoe Down, arranged for marching band, or the piano reduction of the
orchestral work such as Liszt’s Liebstod (1867). [note: in the Copland example it is
feasible that some parts may be “adapted” while the entirety of the piece would be
an arrangement, thus the full work would be considered an adaptation, that was
arranged by the said artist(s)].
Transcription – While Webster states it as “an arrangement of a musical
composition . . .,”5 the author has qualified it as; the final product of a process,
namely transcribing (to transcribe [to represent by means of phonetic symbols])6
which comes from two Latin words, first trans meaning “across,” and scribe meaning
“write,” which is defined as “. . .put[ting] thoughts, speech or data [in this case
music] into [a] written printed form.”7 Therefore, a transcription may be considered
the result of hearing or listening to a musical composition, and afterwards, notating
the previously-‐heard music in an accurate manner. Due to the level of difficulty and
training involved in transcribing a work (such as a jazz soloists’ solo), there should
be a clear distinction, both academically and colloquially, made between this form of

4. Sadie, and Tyrell, 53. “arrangement.”

5. Mish et al., 1327. “transcription.”

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.
9

music composition and an adaptation (taking previously-‐written music and playing
it on another instrument).
The author has chosen to use the aforementioned delineations to distinguish
certain individuals and their process(es) of creating musical works. A notable
example would be that of Bela Bartok (1881-‐1945), who recorded folk songs, then
wrote [sight] what he previously heard [sounds], therefore transcribing the music.
After completing that process, he may have then applied [or played] the melodic
material on the piano by means of adaptation (note that the music he recorded was
not originally intended for the piano). When done with this process, he may decide
to expand the music by adding chords, counter-‐melodies, etc., thus creating an
arrangement of the music originally heard. It is worth noting that this process is not
confined to chronology; therefore, it is possible for the process to happen over years
or instantaneously.
Milonga – According to Robert Farris Thompson, as he notes in his book
Tango: The Art and History of Love, the milonga is “. . . [a] spirited and strong dance
(and poetic literary style) which gained prominence in the 1870s, [that is] derived
from Kimbundu and Ki-‐Kongo, [tribes] words meaning respectively “argument: and
moving lines of dancers . . .”8 it was in short, as Thompson continues an African-‐
influenced “carving contests on a scale turned heroic.”9 The word also came to be
later defined as the places in which these dances (milongas) took place.10

8. Robert Farris Thompson, Tango: The Art and History of Love (New York: Pantheon Books,
2005), 121.

9. Robert Farris Thompson, 121.

10. Ibid., 5.
10

Tango – An Argentinian art form (dance, poetry, or music) that is
characterized by a strong sense of syncopation, a varied exaggeration of accents,
and in the dance form sharp distilled pauses.
Tango Nuevo – A new style of tango, whom Astor Piazzolla was the main
proponent thereof, which deviated away from the “traditional” tango style in that it
incorporated a more contemporaneous rhythmic and harmonic language, while also
infusing new instruments like the electric guitar.
Tango Orchestra – A small ensemble of five to nine players that includes
violin, guitar, bandoneón, piano, and double bass, with doublings in any section
desired. This tango orchestra plays tangos, vals, and milongas within a milonga.

Style and Techniques
Bandoneón-‐ Invented in the 1840s, the bandoneón is a type of concertina
that requires the use of buttons instead of its counterpart, the accordion that uses
keys and stops. The bandoneon, depending on the model, can have 64, 88, 104, 106,
128, 154, 176, or 220 notes. It has only been as recent as the 1900s when the
bandoneón has been used as a solo instrument.11 The instrument was chosen over
the accordion for tango style over the accordion due to it’s “sad” sound.12
Body-‐dampening -‐ The process of leaning the body against a bar while
striking the same bar, producing a muffled or “choked” sound.

11. Sadie, and Tyrell, 652. “bandoneón.”

12. Astor Piazzolla, “Astor Piazzolla – Zero Hour – BBC Interview 1989” (video). April 22,
1989. 0:00, accessed January 15, 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5pQqxWlaE.

11

Col lengo – Literally means “with wood,”13,14 (a term borrowed from string
performance practice, in which the strings of the instrument are stuck with the back
of the bow). Percussively speaking, it is the technical process while playing a
marimba, vibraphone (or any keyboard percussion instrument) of striking a bar
with only the shaft (wooden part) of the mallet.
End tap – A performance technique that requires the use of the butt end of
the mallet (closest within the hand). In using this technique, the said part of the
mallet is used to “tap” the middle of the bar. To do this technique properly, the
mallet should be turned vertically, and a loose grip on the must be utilized to
prevent a “choked” sound. The technique is best achieved by lightly dropping the
mallet on the bar.
Harmonics – Any note produced by an instrument that is accompanied by a
number of other notes at fixed intervals above. 15 For guitars lightly touching the
string and plucking it will create an octave harmonic. The marimba and vibraphone
both if struck at the nodal point (where the string intersects the bar) of a bar will
produce a harmonic.
Milonguero-‐ A person who spends a considerable amount of time writing or
performing milongas. The term applies whether the milonga is a dance, literary, or
musical style(s).16

13. Michael Kennedy and Joyce Bourne, eds., The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music, 4th ed.
(New York: Oxford Press, 1996), 152. “col.”

14. Michael Kennedy and Joyce Bourne, Ibid., 415. “legno.”

15. Ibid., 321. “harmonic.”

16. Ibid., 121.
12

CHAPTER II
A CONCISE OVERVIEW OF THE INSTRUMENTS
GUITAR
A chordophone, (strings are the sounding mechanism) which is considered
the modern-‐day descendent of the Lute17 (the back of the guitar is flat-‐backed, as
opposed to rounded), the guitar had hundreds (if not thousands) of classical style
concerti in its compositional repertoire. The instrument has had several
distinguished composers in its extended history. A short list of these composers
would include John Dowland [lute] (1563-‐1626), Antonio Vivaldi (1678-‐1741), J.S.
Bach [lute] (1685-‐1750), Christoph W. Gluck (1714-‐1787), Fernando Sor (1778-‐
1839), Niccoló Paganini (1782-‐1840), Luigi Legnani (1790-‐1877), Matteo Carcassi
(1792-‐1853), Francisco Tarrega (1852-‐1909), Heitor Villa-‐Lobos (1889-‐1959),
Mario Castelnuovo-‐Tedesco (1895-‐1968), Leo Brouwer (b. 1939), Maximo Diego
Pujol (b. 1957), and of course Astor Piazzolla (1921-‐1992). The modern-‐day six-‐
stringed instrument has gained vast popularity in today in part due to Andrés
Segovia (1893-‐1989), an extremely influential adaptor, transcriber, and pedagogue
who had many concerti dedicated to him. His influence is so recognized that many
current pedagogues associate their technical school of thought to either Segovia or
one of his former students. The guitar has a range of four octaves and is the only
transposing instrument, in this composition (other than double bass) sounding one
octave lower than written. Today the guitar is closely associated to the Spanish or
Latin style of music, again owing to Castelnuovo-‐Todesco’s Guitar Concerto No. 1

17. Frederic V. Grunfeld, The Art and Times of the Guitar: an Illustrated History of Guitars and
Guitarists (London: The Macmillan Co., 1971), 1.
13

performed by Segovia. The instrument has also always been closely associated to
various folk and pop musical styles. See the figure below for more detail about the
various parts of the instrument (see Appendix A).

Figure 1. Labeled guitar parts

MARIMBA
Generally a wooden-‐bar keyboard instrument whose name literally means
“wood that sings,” the marimba descended from Africa, starting with slats of wood
14

over a hole in the ground.18 The marimba has had a long and storied process of
evolution through incremental developments. From Africa, Guatemala, Mexico, and
then to the United States of America, the instrument slowly developed in terms of
design and uses of cultural implementation. From one player to as many as six, the
instrument has also seen a variety of performance practices in its varied history.
The marimba came into the American collegiate curriculum of study in the
approximately the 1950s.19 The first piece considered to be in the concerto style is
the Concertino for Marimba and Orchestra by Paul Creston written circa 1940. The
current-‐day collegiate standard range for the soloist instrument is five octaves.

BANDONEÓN
Developed in the 1850s by Heinreich Band of Krefeld, the bandoneón is a
type of concertina that requires the use of buttons instead of its counterpart, the
accordion, which uses a keyboard-‐like configuration. Early models of the bandoneón
were diatonic, meaning that the instrument played different pitches depending on
whether it is being open or closed20 (see Appendix B). Initially developed to replace
the sound of the organ, the bandoneón was chosen over the accordion because it has
a softer and more mellow sound.21 In 1921, a chromatic version was invented

18. David P. Eyler, “The History of the Marimba Ensemble in the United States and Its
Current Status in College and University Percussion Programs” (DMA diss., Louisiana State
University, 1985), 12.

19. Gordon B. Peters, The Drumer: Man, Revised ed. (Wilmetter, IL: Kemper
Peters Pubns, 1975), 211.

20. Stanley Sadie, and John Tyrell, Ibid., 652. “bandoneón.”

21. Astor Piazzolla, “Astor Piazzolla – Zero Hour – BBC Interview 1989” (video).

15

meaning that it would sound that same pitch in both directions. Piazzolla played the
former type of bandoneón. The South-‐American Instrument (as it migrated from
Italy) usually has 33 keys for the lower register and about 38 for the higher
register.22 Since about 1900, the bandoneón has been used as a solo virtuoso
instrument in various tango ensembles (orchestras) in Argentina, Uraguay, and
Brazil. To date there are less than 20 concerti for the bandoneón in print. When
discussing the instrument during an interview, Astor Piazzolla stated that, “. . . it’s
very diabolic. The person who’s interested in learning the instrument must be a
little out of his mind.”23

VIBRAPHONE
Invented in 1922, in Indianapolis by the Leedy Corporation, a metallic
keyboard percussion instrument, 24 the vibraphone is truly an American instrument.
The vibraphone is named for the characteristic tremolo or “vibrato effect” that it
was capable of producing.25 The instrument does so by having a motor connected to
two fans, which agitate the air in a resonating chamber directly located under the
keys.26 Trommer states that in spite of the instrument being “ . . . well established in
jazz, popular, theatrical, and educational music, the vibraphone is less prominent on

22. Stanley Sadie, and John Tyrell, Ibid., 652. “bandoneón.”

23. Astor Piazzolla, Astor Piazzolla – Zero Hour – BBC Interview 1989” (video).

24. John H, Beck, ed. Encyclopedia (New York: Garland, 1995) 339. “vibraphone.”

25. Ibid., 105.

26. Ibid., 343.

16

the symphonic stage than other mallet percussions [sic]”27 Even though there are
approximately 30 vibraphone concerti, (with more being written and
commissioned) this vibrato effect ironically is rarely utilized in a solo setting among
these compositions.

27. John H, Beck, Ibid., 343.
17

CHAPTER III
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA: A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Astor Piazzolla was born in New York City on March 11, 1921 to Vincente
(whom he affectionately called “Nonino”) from Italy and Asunta Mainetti from
Tuscany. When was born, he had a twisted right foot, which ultimately was fixed,
but this incident convinced his mother to only have one child. At the age of eight, his
father, who wanted him to become a musician, bought Piazzolla a bandoneón for
less than $20.28 This greatly upset the young Piazzolla, because he wanted a pair of
roller skates, which he had asked for on several previous occasions.29 It was after
this that he began to take bandoneon lessons from Andres DÀquila,30 and in 1933 at
the age of 12, he would study under Bela Wilda, who was a disciple of Sergei
Rachmaninov.31 Piazzolla would later say that it “. . . was with him [that] I learned to
love Bach.” Three years later, he played a small acting role as a paperboy in the
movie El Dia Que me Quieras, which helped to elevate the popularity of the tango in
mass culture.32
At the age of 15 in 1936, Piazzolla and his family moved to Mel del Plata,
Argentina where he began to play bandoneón in various tango orchestras. Two
years later in 1938 at the age of seventeen, Piazzolla moved to Buenos Aires to

28. J. Peesinis and C. Kuri, “Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution,” Piazzolla.org, 2002,
accessed April 4, 2014, http://www.piazzolla.org/biography/biography-‐english.html.

29. Natalio Gorin, Astor Piazzolla: A Memoir (Portland: Amadeus Press, 2001), 141.
30. J. Peesinis and C. Kuri, “Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution,” (website).

31. Ibid.

32. Ibid.
18

further his musical career.33 A year after moving to Buenos Aires, he began to play
with the Anibal Troilo Orchestra, which was considered to be one of the best (if not
the best) in the world. He then met Alberto Ginastera two years later and became
the arranger/composer for the Troilo Orchestra, pushing the envelope of the tango
in terms of style with more complex harmonic material.34 In 1942 Piazzolla married
Dedé Wolff and they had two children, Diana and Daniel, in the next two years in
1943 and 1944 respectively.35 It is in 1943 that he began to explore with writing
classical music, as well as experimenting with the tango style.36 In 1946, Piazzolla
writes his first original tango entitled El Desbande. It begins to happen on several
occasions that Triolo has to change his (Astor’s) orchestrations to “make more
sense” because they were “too confusing for the dancers” or “didn’t make sense to
the instrumentalists.”37 As a result in 1949, Piazzolla decided to abandon both the
tango style of music and playing the bandoneón.38
In 1954, he was awarded an opportunity to study with the world renowned
Nadia Boulanger in Paris.39 In studying with Boulanger, he joined the ranks of other
famous composers as Aaron Copland, Ingolf Dahl, Phillip Glass, Quincy Jones, and

33. María Susana Azzi and Simon Collier, Le Grand Tango: the Life and Music of Astor
Piazzolla (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), 18.


35. María Susana Azzi and Simon Collier, 29.

36. Ibid., 33.


38. Ibid.

39. Ibid.
19

Marta Ptaszynska.40 While there, he played and wrote only classical compositions
for his teacher, deeply subverting his knowledge of the tango and bandoneón.
During a lesson, it arose that he played the bandoneon and Boulanger asked
Piazzolla to play one of his compositions on the instrument. After hearing his
composition Trifunal, Boulanger remarked, “Astor, your classical pieces are well
written, but the true Piazzolla is here, never leave it behind.”41 This incident would
give him the drive he needed to pursue the tango and bandoneón with full force. He
then began to mix the styles of classical, tango, and jazz styles in his tangos.
In 1955, Piazzolla returned to Argentina and began revolutionizing the tango
art form, which he was credited for “ruining” on several occasions by adding the
electric guitar and creating Tango Nuevo.42 One of two elements of breaking
tradition that Piazzolla employed were playing with his rings on and slapping the
sides of the bandoneon for percussive sounds.43 He would tour with as many as
three different bandoneóns due to repair needs. The other break of tradition was
that Piazzolla played his compositions in concert while standing and resting his
right foot in a chair during hours long concerts, as opposed to sitting.44 In 1959, he
formed the quintet composed of violin, bandoneón, piano, double bass, and electric
guitar and also composed Adiós Nonino for his recently deceased father. The quintet,

40. Bruce Brown and Lisa Cook, American Students of Nadia Boulanger, 2002,
Boulanger America, accessed January 15, 2014, http://nadiaboulanger.org/nb/amstudents.html.

41. J. Peesinis and C. Kuri, “Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution,” (website)

42. “Piazzolla: The King of Tango Nuevo,” WordPress.com, December 26, 2011, accessed
December 13, 2013, http://narrativetangotoursblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/piazzolla-‐the-‐
king-‐of-‐tango-‐nuevo/.

43. Gorin,144.

44. Ibid., 211.
20

Piazzolla later confessed, was his “most beloved ensemble” because the he felt it was
the “musical synthesis that best expressed my [his] ideas.”45
With the collaboration of librettist Horatio Ferrer, Piazzolla premiered his
operita (or operetta), Maria de Buenos Aires, to great critical acclaim in 1968.46 It is
in this time period that he began to receive positive reviews internationally for his
musical efforts. In 1973, in part due to massive amounts of stress and a chain
smoking habit, he suffered a heart attack that forced him to reduce the number of
musical engagements and concert commitments. It is in this same year that
Piazzolla composed one of his most well-‐known, and beloved compositions
Libertango. Nine years later in 1982, he composed yet another piece which seems to
have stood the test of time, his Le Grand Tango.
In 1985 for his guitarist at the time, Cacho Tirao, Piazzolla composed his
Concierto para bandoneón y guitarra and helped premiere it at the Fifth
International Belgian Guitar Festival held in the city of Liége. This led to the now
more common moniker of “Hommage à Liège.” Cuban-‐born guitarist, Leo Brouwer,
conducted the premier performance. Because of his international tours and the
growing acclaim received in doing them, he was named an Exceptional Citizen of
Buenos Aires.47
Two years later in 1987 while in New York’s Central Park, Piazzolla put on a
massively successful concert with vibist Gary Burton that was considered a


46. Gorin, 250.

47. Ibid.
21

“rejuvenating experience.” One year later in 1988, he underwent a quadruple bypass
surgery, in hopes of improving his health, and alleviating his thrombosis.48
Unfortunately on August 4th 1990, in the city of Paris, Piazzolla suffered a
debilitating stroke, which confined him to a wheelchair. Less than two years later
on July 4th, 1992 in the city of Buenos Aires, Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla died. At the
time of his death, he had over 1000 compositions to his name. He was once quoted
as saying, “People may like my music, they may not, but one thing not one can deny
is its craftsmanship.”49

48. “Piazzolla: The King of Tango Nuevo,” WordPress.com. (website).

49. Gorin, 25.
22

CHAPTER IV
“HOMAGE À LIÈGE:” A DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Concierto para bandoneón y guitarra was composed in 1985 and premiered
at the Fifth International Belgian Guitar Festival with Astor Piazzolla on bandoneón,
Cacho Tirao on guitar, and Leo Brouwer conducting in the city of Liége. It is not the
only concerto that Piazzolla wrote, but it is the only one for this type of instrumental
pairing. The piece contains three movements: “Introducción,” “Milonga” and
“Tango,” respectively. The composition as a whole may be viewed as through-‐
composed in nature with the entire piece telling the story of two dancers (the
soloists) who present themselves to the audience, and thereafter interact with not
just the audience, and the ensemble but also each other.

“INTRODUCCIÓN”
In the vernacular of dance, the first gesture of a tango is called the Alevare.50
Indeed, since this movement does lead eventually to a tango, it may very well be
considered a type of musical Alevare. The movement is interesting in that there is no
orchestral backing, making it essentially a large double cadenza, with the guitar and
bandoneon. The guitar/marimba enters the stage with gravitas and bravura having
an extended, open solo, which utilizes a great variety of techniques that the author
will discuss further in the following chapter. Halfway through the movement, the
bandoneón/vibraphone joins in the action as the instrument takes on the main
melodic function of the duo, leaving the guitar/marimba to adopt a primarily choral

50. Gorin, 25.
23

and accompaniment-‐like role. The movement ends with a melismatic figure in the
guitar/marimba while the bandoneón/vibraphone plays tied whole notes providing
harmonic substance.

“MILONGA”
A milonga is an Argentinian dance, which is extremely conversational in
nature; in fact Borges says that the milonga was “one of the great conversations of
Buenos Aires.”51 In 1883 Ventura Lynch stated that “…in the milonga he [the
gaucho] glories in genius, sharpness, and quick subtle tricks.”52 Lynch also said that
“the milonga is danced only by the tough guys of the city…”53 The term also came to
be known as the dance hall in which the val, milonga, and tango dances were
performed. In considering the dance style, Facundo Posadas recalls that a milonga
has a “swing and suave feeling, that caries a momentum that rarely stops.”54 Kely
Posadas adds that, “there are pauses in the tango, but not in milonga,”55 and that
“more than speed or syncopation, or forthright continuousness, the pleasure of the
milonga as dance is cultural interaction.”56 It is with this that Thompson concludes
that the milonga is chiefly about three things, 1) the ancient Angolan sense of

51. Thompson, 125.

52. Ibid., 129.

53. Ibid.

54. Ibid., 134.

55. Ibid.

56. Ibid.
24

‘argument’ or ‘issue’ . . . 2) “circling lines of dancers” (which harkens to the conga
lines) and 3) the “autonomous creole theory for the reconciliation of cultures.”57
In Piazzolla’s composition, the milonga rhythmically emphasizes 1, 4, and 7,
of a series of eighth notes, and almost always has a strong cadence (rhythmically)
again on beat one, thus [1] 2 3 [4] 5 6 [7] 8 (see Figure 2.).

Figure 2. Milonga rhythm

The aforementioned pattern is exceedingly regular. The milonga style also
maintains a rather lilting and steady tempo, and as far as this composition is
concerned, remains fairly conservative in terms of harmonic structure. As more
complexities arose with the milonga in Argentina, it morphed into the tango. The
title would suggest that as discussed earlier, that this movement does indeed
reconcile the two soloists with each other playing extended melodic passages
together as if dancing with each other coming from different timbres yet setting
aside their differences.

“TANGO”

At one point considered the chief export of Argentina, the tango is one of the
most recognizable dances in the world, in fact Thompson concedes that “. . . in the
world of the white vogue, [the] tango ‘eclipsed’ the milonga around 1906.”58 It is
said that, “it is to be performed with an enormous amount of security, [and] a

57. Thompson, 134.

58. Ibid., 130.

25

perfect alignment.”59 As Donald S. Castro opens his text The Argentine Tango as
Social History, he gives the following anecdote:
Shortly before World War I, at a reception for foreign

diplomats accredited to his court, Tzar Nicholas II greeted each
diplomat personally in a reception line. As his aide whispered
the name of the diplomats, the Tzar greeted each by name as if
he knew them personally. When the aide whispered the name of
the Argentine Ambassador, the Tzar exclaimed, “Ah yes, the
tango!”60

Even if the story is not historically accurate, it cannot help but begin to
underscore the widespread popularity of the tango. There are currently over 12
different styles of the tango, with Tango Argentino to be considered the most
authentic. The tango is an extremely intimate dance where the dancers must trust
each other greatly and has been known to be associated with male machismo and
masculinity in its rigid and sharp approach. With this, the tango’s syncopations tend
to be more linear, whereas the milonga divides (332), the tango tends to divide two
measures in a 333322 style. If the bar is thought of in eight eighth notes, the tango
would be as follows: [1] 2 3 [4] 5 6 [7] 8, 1 [2] 3 4 [5] 6 [7] 8 (see Figure 3.).
Figure 3. Tango rhythm

The beginning section of the concerto movement has an extended fugal-‐like
form, with an eight measure bandoneón/vibraphone solo, afterwards being joined
by the guitar/marimba, for eight more measures, and then the piano enters for eight

59. Julie Taylor, Paper Tangos (Durham: Duke University Press Books, 1998), 86.

60. Donald S. Castro, The Argentine Tango as Social History, 1880-‐1955: the
Soul of the People (San Francisco, CA: Edwin Lellen Pr, 1991), 1.
26

measures, and finally the contra bass voice enters. This movement lends itself to a
greater amount of complexity, not only in regards to time (which already has a
tendency to rush more due to the linear syncopations), but also in regards to
harmony, using extended chords such as a B11 (B, D, F#, A, C#, E) (see Figure 4),

Figure 4. Extended chord

and a B13 chord by the bandoneónist (B, D, F# , A, C#, E, G) over an F#13 #9 (F# , A,
C#, E, G#, B, D) by the guitar (see Figure 5.).

Figure 5. Poly-‐tonal chords

Throughout the movement, there is the prevalent use of cluster chord
configurations. The last movement is energetic and builds to an arresting conclusion
evidenced by the sforzando (sfz) dynamic in the piano and double bass. The
bandoneón has a fortissismo (fff) dynamic, filling the dense harmony (see Figure 6.).
27

Figure 6. Closing chord

28

CHAPTER V
“HOMAGE À LIÈGE”: APPROACH TO ADAPTING AND ARRANGING THE WORK

GENERAL CONCEPTS FOR GUITAR AND BANDONEÓN
In understanding the concept of adapting and arranging from one instrument
to another, the author believes that it is beneficial to know as much as possible
about the source material’s composer, the instrument’s historical development, the
possibilities of the varieties of timbres used in the composition, and the notational
style, idiosyncrasies of the instrument, and lastly, the language used within the
composition that will be discussed when appropriate.
Figure 7 is an excerpt is from the guitar cadenza in the first movement and is
representative of the variety of notational considerations for the instrument.
Figure 7. Second-‐half of opening guitar cadenza
Although a great number of these markings, and indications may not be
relevant to the technical approach of the instrument being adapted to, they may
29

help to guide the performer as to the best alternative choice of an extended
technique to use.
The circled numbers throughout the excerpt refer to which string the note is
to be played. The strings are tuned, from low to high, to the pitches: E, A, D, G, B, E,
and are thus numbered accordingly from 6 (lowest) to 1 (highest) (see Appendix A).
The diamond-‐shaped noteheads (the D of the first measure and the last seven
notes of the excerpt) are how harmonics are notated.
In the second through fourth lines, the letter B refers to the “bar” (an
instruction to make a bar with the finger across all the strings) and the
corresponding roman number indicates the fret, for instance BII, means to bar
across the 2nd fret. The dotted horizontal line means that finger creating the bar is to
be briefly lifted.61 The horizontal line following these indications means that the bar
is to remain for the length of the line.
The small numbers by certain notes inform the performer which fingers to
use in the left hand. The index finger is number 1, and the little finger is assigned
number 4. The letters in italics, (p, i, m, a) also refer to fingerings, but for the right
hand. Taken from their names in Spanish, p is for pulgar, which means the thumb,
the i means indice, which stands for the index finger. The m signifies the use of the
middle, or medio finger, and the a is for anular, which is the ring finger. The little
finger is typically not used in the right hand.

61. Andy Mitchell, “Classical Guitar Notation Explaination – Andy Mitchell.”
Andy Mitchell Guitar, accessed January 14 2014,
http://ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0SO8w4283RTIGsABYhXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEzMDlwNmx2BHNlY
wNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkA1NNRTM5OF8x/RV=2/RE=1400202167/RO=10/RU=http
%3a%2f%2fwww.andymitchellguitar.com%2ffile_download%2f12%2fGuitarNotationExplanation.pdf/RK
=0/RS.

30

The text percussion tells the performer that the notes underneath the
indication(s) require a more non-‐traditional percussion-‐oriented technique. The
non-‐musical text is French due to the fact that Piazzolla’s main publisher is in Paris.
As shown in Figure 7., the text at the bottom matching the numerical indicators
state:
[1] sur la petite èclisse supèrieure

[2] sur la partie infèrieure de la table d’harmonie
[3] sur le chevalet
These phrases translate to:
[1] “on the small (upper) bout,” This is the set small smaller
outward curves on the body of the guitar.
[2] “on the lower part of the table.” This is the face (or outward
facing part of the guitar). The “lower part” refers to the
larger, wider part of the table
[3] “on the bridge.” The bridge is where the strings connect to
the main body of the instrument (see Appendices A and C).
The French text in the musical score later instructs the guitarist to:
Laisser rèsonner les cordes, or
“let the notes ring on”
suggesting that the performer should do so while these various
percussive effects are being utilized (see Figure 7).
The text under the two-‐starred indication (**) informs the player to:
Continuer de façon ascendante à jouer des harmoniques avec la main
droite. Ajouter le mi et le si,
translating to:
“Continue playing ascending harmonics, using the right hand. Add
the E and the B.” 62

The glissando technique (or gliss. found in the first set of notes on the third
line), is done by sliding any finger up the string to the target, or terminating, note.
As stated before, the guitar sounds an octave lower than written, so as to
maintain the same look as the original music of the guitar, and to avoid crossing

62. Astor Piazzolla, Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón “Hommage á Liége” (Paris:
Henry Lemoine, 2002).

31

beams with a grand staff orientation, the author has chosen to use the treble (octave
down clef). The key is also retained from the original throughout (see Figures 8a.
and 8b.).

Figure 8a. Treble clef (for guitar) Figure 8b. Treble down clef used for marimba

During the process of taking the music from the guitar and transferring it to
the marimba (adapting), some notes were added and few were taken away
(arranging). When adapting, the decision to remove certain notes was done due to
the difficulty to play five and six-‐note chords on marimba. While arranging, some
notes were added for the marimba, to showcase the characteristic of having a larger
range than the guitar. The bandoneón music contained no large-‐scale idiomatic or
notational challenges. When adapting music to the vibraphone, there were some
issues with range concerning chord voicings, which the author will discuss when
appropriate. Despite whatever adaptive and/or arranging liberties that were taken
for either instrument, the author’s goal was to create literature that both felt
idiomatic to the soloists and sounded native for new instruments.

“INTRODUCCIÓN” (ALEVARE)
In the transference of music from the guitar to marimba, the author feels a
discussion of the alterations and techniques done on the marimba to achieve similar
sounds, as well as the added and subtracted notes, is now warranted. A full score of
the re-‐engraved music next to the newly adapted and arranged part is available for
32

viewing in Appendix C. Measure numbers were added to better facilitate discussion.
(see Appendix D).
In the first measure, the first alteration, other than the aforementioned
change of clef, takes place (see Figures 9a. and 9b.).

Figure 9a. Two-‐note anacrusis Figure 9b. Three-‐note anacrusis

Adding an additional E, the octave above, augments the previous two-‐note
anacrusis. This is done in order to create a greater lead into the downbeat, thereby
enhancing the feel of bravura to the opening statement of the marimba solo. It
should be noted that although this alteration occurs twice, (as do a number of others
changes yet to be mentioned), it will only be discussed once.
The next change, or adaptation, is a set of guitar glissandi. On the marimba
this sound is achieved by a diatonic glissando, as indicated by the “dg” above the
notes (see Figures 10a. and 10b.).

Figure 10a. Guitar glissando Figure 10b. Adapted diatonic glissando

The diatonic glissando is achieved by first striking the Db and F. After briefly
allowing the bar to resonate, the mallet that struck the F is then silently placed and
pressed into the D natural. This mallet is then, while still pressing into the keyboard,
dragged to up to the A natural just before the downbeat. The downbeat (Bb) is
played by the opposite hand. The author believes that the overall effect of the
glissando should be one of fluidity.
33

The rippled chord of the marimba is achieved much the same way on the
guitar. It is done by a fast succession of the mallets 1-‐2-‐3-‐4 (low to high), starting
from the bottom note or in this case, D# to the top, G natural (see Figure 11.).

Figure 11. Rippled chord

In the next example there are notes which appear to look like cues on guitar.
The editor felt that these notes are to be played closer to the bridge resulting in a
thinner timbre (see Appendix A). To try and emulate the thinning of the texture and
timbre, the author suggests the marimbist to play these notes closer to the node of
the bar, as opposed to the normal playing area (see Figures 12a.,12b., and 12c.).

Figure 12a. Guitar “cues” Figure 12b. Adapted nodal indication

Figure 12c. Mallet placement near the node

The note immediately following this phrase is written in for guitar as a
harmonic. In trying to imitate this sound, the author chose to employ the col legno
stroke, as indicated by the “cl” however, the notation remains the same from the
original. (see Figures 13a., 13b., and 13c.).
34

Figure 13a. Guitar harmonic Figure 13b. Marimba col legno notation/indication

Figure 13c. Picture demonstrating the col legno technique

For the next example, the merging of the previous two techniques discussed
occurs. Here the marimbist should play the G, near the node, like that of a note near
the bridge, and the D utilizing the col legno stroke like that of a harmonic (see Figure
14.).

Figure 14. Notation of “cue” and harmonic combined

The next technique the author adapted was done after listening to the
recording of Cacho Tirao, the guitarist for whom Piazzolla wrote the concerto at the
premier performance. This section provided the author with a difficult challenge to
reproduce the sounds from the marimbist perspective. After listening to this section
several times, it became clear that the guitarist should have a strong, aggressive, and
muted tone, done by declaratively plucking while dampening the strings. In order to
match this articulation, the author decided to utilize body dampening for the
marimbist. This technique is facilitated by pressing the hip against the bar to be
35

played, and then striking the muted bar (see Figure 16b.). The notational
implication has been added in the music of the marimba by adding a plus (+) over
the notes to be played in this fashion.

Figure 15a. Guitar notation Figure 15b. Notation of body dampening

Figure 16a. Normal playing position Figure 16b. Body dampening position

The following section utilizes the guitar in a percussive fashion, with
instructions in the margins stating to hit the upper bout, the bridge, and the table of
the guitar (see Appendix A). The instructions also state that the guitarist should
Laisser rèsonner les cordes, that is “let the strings resonate.” On the marimba, the
author employs a technique to mimic this sound called a “marimshot.” The
technique was first used by Leigh Howard Stevens, in his 1989 composition,
Rhythmic Caprice. The moniker was later coined by his students. The stroke is
achieved by placing the mallet at angle where the shaft strikes the edge of the bar,
like that of the col legno stroke, while simultaneously allowing the mallet head strike
the center of the bar, the resulting timbre is very much like that of a rim-‐shot on the
marimba. In the guitar part, the numbers correspond to which technique should be
used at the appropriate time (see Appendix C). Since the author feels that the
36

marimba cannot truly re-‐create these changes in timbre, the changes in register are
employed using marimshots in the high, middle, and low registers respectively
regardless of distinct pitches (see Figure 17.).

Figure 17. Original instruction Figure 18. Picture of “marimshot”

On the fourth line of the guitar score, or at the end of measure 21 in the
guitar/marimba part, the first and only instance of the author’s omitting notes due
to five or six-‐note chords occurs in this movement. The soprano voice in all three
sets of chords moves up by a minor third. Also, in the alto voice there is a constant
descending half step relationship. This half-‐step relationship is found in the
succeeding chords of the tenor and bass voices as well. The D is dropped from the
chord in order to maintain the voice-‐leading and melodic line in reference to the top
and middle lines from the preceding intervallic relationships. The omitted note is in
parentheses (see Figure 19.)

Figure 19. Phrase with first example of note extraction
The author’s next change was done in order to add more character for the
marimba part and to create a sense of style and flair for the music. Though not told
to do so in the notation, but observed in several of the recordings referenced, every
guitarist plays this chord openly rippled; therefore, the author has added it to the
37

marimba part. The embellishment figure at the end of the first count was added to
give a sense of excitement and drive to the change in harmony that occurs in the
next measure (see Figures 20a. and 20b.).

Figure 20a. Original melodic gesture Figure 20b. Marimba arrangement of gesture

There are some chords in the cadenza that after initially played, the author
believes, should remain strong to create a fuller and more sustained effect to give a
greater sense of harmonic suspense and grandeur. The author believes that the
marimba is an instrument that can do a great job of sustaining these chords when
played appropriately (see Figures 21a. and 21b.).

Figure 21a. Original guitar phrase Figure 21b. Adapted phrase

In the last part of the marimba cadenza, there is a series of harmonics in
eighth-‐notes outlining an e minor chord with an added F#. In the original, Piazzolla
states that the guitarist should, “Continue playing ascending harmonics, using the
right hand. Add the E and the B (Continuer de façon ascendante à jouer des
harmoniques avec la main droite. Ajouter le mi et le si)” (see Figure 22a.).63 The
author believes that this is a great example where the percussionist can take
advantage of the extended range of the marimba (see Figure 22b.). The marimba

63. Jonathan Goldman, 1.
38

finishes the e minor chord, using the col legno technique, and has the range to
restate the chord using end-‐taps. This helps to create a third level of departure, or
separation, by the soloist. The end-‐taps are signified by the stocatissimo articulation
(see Figure 22c.).

Figure 22a. Original section of harmonics Figure 22b. Added chord tones

Figure 22c. End-‐tap technique

In measure 26, the Lentamènte, the first entrance of the
bandoneon/vibraphone occurs. To recreate the “velvety” texture of the bandoneon,
the author employed the vibraphone motor at its maximum vibrato speed. For the
marimba, the author doubled the E down to help give weight and fullness, while the
last note of each measure for the phrase is rolled to add duration. The author
utilized the same idea for the duration of the phrase. Though not to be shown, the
octave is doubled again in measures 48-‐54, or the trestimente section (see Figure
23a. and 23b.).
39

Figure 23a. Bandoneón entrance m. 26 Figure 23b. Vibraphone entrance m. 26

In the guitar/marimba part, the next four measures begins a pseudo-‐

chromatic descent starting on E to C. Within the style of tango, which is in essence
being foreshadowed, the author added a four-‐note chromatic anacrusis before the E
in the marimba (see Figure 24.).

Figure 24. Added chromatic grace-‐notes

The author also made alterations to the chords in measures 39-‐42 which
originally utilized the following chord voicing (see Figure 25a.).

Figure 25a. Guitar open chord voicings, mm. 34-‐42

The guitar’s voicing is unsuitable for the marimba according to the author due to the
spread between the chord-‐tones, and therefore the chords were re-‐voiced with the
top pitches being displaced the octave down. Also, to once again highlight the range
of the five-‐octave marimba, this time on the lower end, the author added a grace
note to give a greater sense of presence. In the fourth measure of the phrase, the
40

author added a sextuplet to maintain a strong aural sense of the C7 chord to be
heard despite the spread in the original (see Figure 25b.).

Figure 25b. Marimba closed voicings with ripple, mm. 34-‐42

In measures 48-‐55, or the Meno mosso, the author makes another large
alteration from the original. In this section, the vibraphone is displaced up the
octave to create a greater gap in sonority between the two instruments, allowing the
marimba to have more of the lower tessitura, distinguishing itself as the soloist. The
author also makes another alteration in the guitar part for the marimba in that
guitar part utilizes certain glissandi that cover a range too short for the marimba to
convincingly do any technique previously mentioned. Therefore, in order to
broaden the sound appropriately, various grace notes have been added to certain
notes, rearranging the phrase (see Figures 26a. and 26b.).

Figure 26a. Guitar phrase with glissandi, mm. 48-‐51

Figure 26b. Marimba doubling and grace notes, mm. 48-‐51
The last two measures were re-‐engraved only to show how most guitarists
play the phrase. The author decided to double the terminating note of the line (an E)
in the marimba part. The E is not shown in the first movement because it creates an
elision with the second movement (see Figures 27a. and 27b.).
41

Figure 27a. Original closing phrase for guitar

Figure 27b. Closing phrase with added meter

“MILONGA”
The author believes that the second movement, entitled “Milonga,” needed
fewer alterations and/or adaptations. However, the first of these changes may be
observed within the first few measures. In the original, the guitarist has the low E
(as the release of the previous movement), and proceeds to start an ostinato
passage. This ostinato contains inverted mordents over the fourth count (see Figure
28a.).

Figure 28a. Guitar opening statement of ”Milonga” movement, mm. 1-‐4

The author doubled the downbeat an octave above in the marimba part, to create
presence. The author’s interpretation of the inverted mordents in measures one,
two, and three were arranged as sixteenth-‐note triplets on the preceding eighth
note subdivision, or the “te” of beat three. This idea, unlike the traditional inverted
mordent, was interpreted starting with the upper neighbor, as to end on the pitch
written (see Figure 28b.).
42

Figure 28b. Opening section for marimba, mm. 1-‐4

Had the passage been interpreted with a more Baroque style of performance, then
the interpretation would have been rendered quite differently (see Figure 28c.).

Figure 28c. Baroque-‐style interpretation of opening, mm. 1-‐4

The author’s particular reason of choosing the former over the latter is that within
the prominent recordings of Eduardo Isaac64, Giampaolo Bandini65, and Cacho
Tirao66, all three guitarists interpret the inverted mordents as preceding the
downbeat of beat four as in Figure 28b. Despite this fact, all three players still
interpret the inverted mordent as a duple anacrusis figure and placed the anacrusis
in largely the same way. For the marimba however, the sixteenth-‐note triplet
rhythmic figure was decided upon by the author to give a greater division of the
beat; thereby, creating more harmonic tension to the downbeat of four. The author
believes that this retardation of the release invariably makes the arrival of the first
beat of the next measure appear not only to be more rhythmically and harmonically
stable but also more grounded. In measures 7-‐10, where the harmony changes, the

64. Astor Piazzolla, Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège,”
performed by Eduardo Isaac and others, Decca Group Limited, 2001.

65. Astor Piazzolla, Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège,”
performed by Giampaolo and others, Casa della Musica, 2009.

66. Leo Brouwer, dir., Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège,”
performed by Cacho Tirao, Astor Piazzolla and others, Artop, 2001.

43

interpretation and notes of the sixteenth-‐note triplets remain unchanged. However,
in measures 13 and 14, the sixteenth-‐note triplet starts on F natural, ascends to G
natural, and returns back to F, while terminating on the E. The inverted mordent
over the C#, starts on the D natural in measure 17 and following (see Figures 29a.,
29b., 30a., and 30b.).

Figure 29a. Guitar m. 12 Figure 29b. Marimba m.12

Figure 30a. Guitar m. 17 Figure 30b. Marimba m. 17

In the performance of the bandoneón part on the vibraphone, as with the
preceding movement, the author feels that the motor should be on for the entirety of
the movement. The author also feels that due to the slower tempo, longer note
values, such as half-‐notes tied to whole-‐notes, should be rolled. In utilizing this
method of performance, there should not be a tremolo sound created from the roll,
but instead from only the motor. In measures 23-‐30 the bandoneón is written in
bass clef, but for the sake of the ease of reading, the author changed the part to
treble clef in the adaptation.
The author believes the three grace notes of measure 17 in the vibraphone,
should be interpreted as a sixteenth-‐note triplet on the “te” of beat four. At measure
35 the guitar and bandoneón have a unison figure for the first time in the entire
composition. For similar reasons, as with the preceding phrases for the vibraphone,
44

the author feels that all the notes should be rolled on the marimba to maintain
strength in the melodic line throughout.
Measures 39 to 61 contain a marimba solo with piano and double bass
accompaniment. For this phrase, the author believes all notes longer than an eighth
note should be rolled for the sake of sustain. In the original score measures 60 and
61 contain the instruction to “move closer to the bridge” (déplacer progressivement
vers le chevalet).67 As the author previously mentioned in the first movement, the
marimba can recreate this timbre by gradually playing closer to the node.
In measures 62 to 81, the author doubled the higher octave of the vibraphone
part to create presence and provide clarity for the instrument as a soloist against
the rest of the ensemble. The following measures of 87-‐ 117 are also a vibraphone
solo, though this time without doubling due to the change in tessitura of the
marimba, and a generally happier character of the section. Within this particular
section, the only change by the author is found on the downbeat of measure 100,
which was displaced down the octave due to issues of range for the vibraphone.
Measure 118 marks the Trestimènte section, which takes on the same slow,
dark, and serious tone that the movement opened with. In this section, the author
interprets the glissando as a chromatic glissando. This means that every note (all
half steps) between the starting pitch and terminating note should be played within
the glissando. Measures 134-‐145 were displaced up the octave for the vibraphone
due to range issues and continuity of the phrase. The author has both instruments
play up the octave and closer to the nodes for a drier, thinner timbre creating a

45

harmonic-‐like effect for measures 146 to the end. In the last measure of the
movement the vibraphone does not play the low C due to range issues. In the
marimba, the chord is rippled and slowly moved to the nodes much like measures
60 and 61 fading away as the last sound heard in the movement.

“TANGO”
The “Tango” is the last and liveliest movement of the double concerto. It
encapsulates the great energy and synergy of the Argentinian dance for which the
style is known. This is the only movement in which the author feels the
vibraphonist, due to the newer faster tempo of the arrangement (quarter note
equaling 120, while the original tempo is quarter is 112), should not have the motor
on. This is also the first movement where the vibraphonist is required to utilize four
mallet technique. In the original bandoneón part, the first 32 measures were in bass
clef, and for reasons previously stated within the “Milonga” movement, have been
adapted to the treble clef. This is done throughout this entire movement. In
measures 4, 8, 12, and 16, the beginnings all the measures are the same with a low B
and F3; however, in order to maintain the consistency of the phrases and voice-‐
leading, the author displaced some of the notes of the melodic passages, even
though the ending of each measure may be different (see Figures 31a. and 31b.).

Figure 31a. Bandoneón, m. 4 Figure 31b. Vibraphone pitch-‐displacements, m. 4

The only note removal for the vibraphone in the movement is shown
occurring in measure 18 on beat four, having the downbeat E natural removed
46

completely. (see Figure 32a. and 32b.). Lastly in this section, measure 22, the author
also displaced the upbeat of count one up the octave.

Figure 32a. Bandoneón, m. 18 Figure 32b. Vibraphone redaction, m. 18
The author believes that the inverted mordents of measure 10 and 14 are to
be interpreted much like the marimba part in the second movement with sixteenth-‐
note triplets (see Figures 33a. and 33b.).

Figure 33a. Bandoneón, mm. 10 and 14 Figure 33b. Vibraphone adaptation, mm. 10 and 14

The author doubles up the octave in measure 42 and all subsequent similar
measures, (i.e. 44, 46, 48, 58, 62, 64, 184, 186, 188, 190, 192, 194, 196, 198). These
measures harken back to the second movement milonga feel.
Since the bandoneón is a five-‐octave instrument, a great deal of notes may be
written on the grand staff. The eight-‐measure phrase of measures 50-‐57 is reduced
to one staff, mainly consisting of harmony in the bass staff. However, measures 69
and 70 were also written originally on a grand staff and have more complexity
within the bass voice. In both phrases, the author adapts the single staff line as
opposed to grand staff since all the notes are accessible on the vibraphone.
Additionally, this creates a cleaner part for the player to read (see Figures 34a and
34b.)
47

Figure 34a. Bandoneón, mm. 69 and 70 Figure 34b. Vibraphone, mm. 69 and 70

Measures 71 and 72 reveal the second instance in which the guitar part has
more notes than the marimba is capable of achieving simultaneously. It is also here
that the bottom notes of the chords descend in a chromatic fashion. The top two
notes act as a pair, and as the chord voicings increase, for the sake of a more natural
and idiomatic voice-‐leading of the other parts, the author believes the most logical
note to drop is the repeated E (see Figures 35a. and 35b.).

Figure 35a. Guitar, mm. 71 and 72 Figure 35b. Marimba, mm. 71 and 72

In measures 114 to 119, the phrase before the double cadenza, there are
three grace notes preceding beat one in the guitar part, like measure 120(see Figure
36a.), which is again thought of by the author as a sixteenth-‐note triplet before beat
one on the marimba.
In measures 119 to 122, the author believes there is a small amount of
arranging needed to better suit the marimba and vibraphone. The second and third
measures reveal more inverted mordents for the bandoneón. In the middle
measure, the sixteenth notes triplets will be on the “te” of beat three, and as for the
third measure, the triplet will be on the “te” of beat two. The grace notes in the
guitar part are played as the anacrusis of the downbeat of the next measure (see
Figure 36a.).
48

Figure 36a. Bandoneón/guitar, mm. 119-‐122

The author employed the chromatic glissando technique in the vibraphone
part. In addressing the notes after the fermata, the editor suggests that one should
play the last three notes closer together so that they sound like a rapid upbeat,
landing on the F#.68 This performance practice presumably can (and should) be
applied to the bandoneón as to solidify the downbeat. The impending double
cadenza will mainly feature the bandoneón/vibraphone, so the mordent has been
altered to prepare the marimbist accordingly (see Figure 36b.).

Figure 36b. Vibraphone/marimba, mm. 119-‐122

Dealing with more inverted mordents within the double cadenza for the
bandoneón part at measure 125, the author utilized a few techniques (see Figure
37a.).

Figure 37a. Bandoneón m. 125 with inverted mordents

49

Here the author believed that the mordents are so ingrained into the measure that
trying to interpret them as thirty-‐second note triplets would seem illogical (see
Figure 37b.).

Figure 37b. Possible interpretation of m. 125

Note the confusion that the notation in the previous figure (Figure 37b) presents.
Therefore to maintain the consistency of phrasing as before, the author used the
sixteenth-‐note triplet on the preceding eighth-‐note to create a clearer rhythm (see
Figure 37c.).

Figure 37c. Preferred interpretation of m. 125

Measure 129 reveals another instance for the author to use a chromatic
glissando in the vibraphone part to achieve a melodic effect. At the same time, the
three grace notes of the guitar part are not altered to make a precise rhythmic value
because the B naturals of the both the vibraphone and marimba, as in the original,
do not need to line-‐up precisely. The author believes that the end of the phrase is
when the completion of the B7 chord given by the marimba afterwards. The
chromatic sixteenth notes afterwards serve as an anacrusis to the next section.
As the cadenza concludes with the descending pseudo-‐chromatic chords in
the marimba, mordents in the vibraphone part maybe added ad libitum. According
to the author, none were written for the sake of improvisatory freedom and the
50

avoidance of rigidity. The author added a sixteenth-‐note triplet in measure 133 to
provide direction as opposed to just playing the next chromatic pitch after the
augmented third count. In measures 132 and 133 (the last two measures) the guitar
part utilizes a rather wide spread interval of a major 9th in the left hand from E to F#
(see Figure 38a.)

Figure 38a. Bandoneón/guitar double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133

In arranging measures 130-‐133 for the marimba, the author displaced the
Low E up the octave for a closed voicing, and as the higher voices descend, in beat
three of measure 132, utilized the lower E. The author feels this not only helps the
performer utilize the pitch(es) originally written, but also creates a greater sense of
arrival once the final chord of the phrase in the marimba is reached using a rippled
chord (see Figure 38b.).

Figure 38b. Vibraphone/marimba double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133

In measure 153, (again to be repeated in measure 157) the grand staff is
used, with a 7-‐note chord. The vibraphonist is to only able play the top four (see
Figure 39.).
51

Figure 39. Bandoneón, mm. 153 and 157

The remaining amount of alterations occurs in measures 200 and 201, the
last two measures of the entire composition. The original score notation has the
guitar executing a tremolo on all six strings, which as previously mentioned are
unable to be achieved by the marimbist using four-‐mallet technique. For these
reasons the author has revoiced the chord and altered the rhythm. Also within the
final measure, the author dropped the lower dyad from the vibraphone part due to
range issues. In contrast, two of the upper notes within the chord of the guitar have
been dropped in order to have an equal number of low and high chord tones in the
marimba part (see Figures 40a and 40b.).
52

Figure 40a. Original ending, mm. 200-‐201 Figure 40b. Arranged ending, mm. 200-‐201

53

VI. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Astor Piazzolla was considered by many as a prolific composer of both guitar
and bandoneón music. He is also credited with expanding the literature, form, and
recognition of the Argentinian style and dance by creating nuevo tango. Piazzolla’s
Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage á Liége” was the first double
concerto for guitar and bandoneón written. In writing the concerto for Cacho Tirao
to be premiered in 1985 with Leo Brouwer conducting at the Fifth International
Belgian Guitar Festival in the city of Liége, he created a composition that the author
believes could be well-‐adapted to both the marimba and vibraphone as soloists.
When considering the proper techniques and practices, the guitar yields a treasure
trove of literature that can be adapted and arranged to the marimba with relative
ease. The vibraphone, though more limited to adapt from the bandoneón, with
certain precautions, can also make a viable substitutionary instrument.
This document has provided a concise developmental history of the guitar,
marimba, bandoneón and vibraphone, as well as provided a brief biographical
sketch about Astor Piazzolla, focusing on his compositional output, in particular the
double concerto. The document also looked at the individual movements of the
double concerto and discussed the musical and technical considerations of the
adaptation and arranging process focusing on: adding/removing notes, octave
displacements, mallet dampening/muffling, harmonics, and the use of col legno with
the musical/aesthetic reasons for each technique employed. The methods and
techniques discussed in this document were specifically cultivated from looking to
the music of Astor Piazzolla’s Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, and none
54

of his other works. The techniques and procedures discussed therein may be readily
appropriated to any other guitar (or bandoneón) composition at the reader’s
discretion. The portion of the study that pertains to the historical developments of
the instruments is designed to be merely contextual and not intended to be a fully
exhaustive exercise. If the reader desires more specific information, they need only
look to the bibliography for sources of more specific information. Information about
the composer also is intended to be cursory. The section of the document dealing
with the description of the work is not considered to be an in-‐depth discussion of
theory and formal construction, but again designed for giving context. Brevity is
employed by the author in the chapter dealing with the adaptations and
arrangements speaking only of the changes made or utilized within in the work.
With the discussion presented, the author feels a great desire for colleagues
in education, performance, and composition to be better utilize accurate
terminology to discuss their endeavors and projects as to prevent obtuse or
confusing dialogue, in regards to transcriptions, adaptations, and arrangements.
In an interview led by Natalio Gorin, in his book entitled, Astor Piazzolla: A
Memoir, Piazzolla candidly remarked, “I have a hope that my music will be heard in
the year 2020. . .,”69 as the author sought to preserve the integrity of the nature of
Piazzolla’s music while transferring it another medium. The author hopes he will
fulfill Piazzolla’s wish.
Further research topics may include a variety of possible subjects. The
author suggests exploring other double concerti composed within the last 10 years,

69. Gorin, 25.
55

such as Maximo Diego Pujol’s Luminosa Buenos Aires, a four-‐movement concerto in a
deliberately Piazzollian-‐informed style. The study could also investigate Pujol’s life
and attempt to achieve the same result of a marimba/vibraphone adaptation and
arrangement of the work.
Another interesting research topic should be one that seeks to investigate the
literature of the bandoneón as well as the adaptive and arranging possibilities of the
instrument to the vibraphone. The author would recommend the use of a larger
range vibraphone if such a topic were to be embarked upon in the future.
During the process of this project, the author sought to create an
aesthetically pleasing work of literature that incorporated the use of contemporary
techniques such as mallet dampening, col legno, harmonics, and the prolonged use
of the motor for the vibraphone in musical ways. The goal was also to use the
aforementioned variety of techniques in ways that did not seem forced or contrived.
The author believes that such literature is currently lacking in the percussion
medium. The music of Piazzolla and others whose styles are contemporaneous, offer
a vast amount of possible ideas for the original composition of these instruments in
multiple genres, whether solo, duet, or concerti settings. It is the author’s hope that
as these styles and techniques are more fully embraced, there will be a rise of this
type of literature within the double concerti genre.
56

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Literature
Azzi, María Susana, and Simon Collier. Le Grand Tango: the Life and Music of Astor
Piazzolla. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Beck, H. John. Encyclopedia of Percussion. New York: Garland, 1995.
Blades, James. Percussion Instruments & Their History. Westport Bold Strummer,
1992.

Caststro Donald, S. The Argentine Tango as Social History, 1880-‐1955: the Soul of the
People. San Francisco, CA: Edwin Mellen Pr, 1991.

Eyler, David P. “The History of the Marimba Ensemble in the United States and Its
Current Status in College and University Percussion Programs.” DMA diss.,
Louisiana State University, 1985.

Gorin, Natalio. Astor Piazzolla: A Memoir. Portland: Amadeus Press, 2001.

Grungfeld, Frederic V. Art and Times of the Guitar: an Illustrated History of Guitars
and Guitarists. London: The Macmillian Co., 1969.

Kennedy, Michael, and Joyce Bourne, eds. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 4th
ed. New York: Oxford Press, 1996.

Mish, Frederick C., et al., Merriam-‐Webster Collegiate Dictionary. 11th ed. Springfield:
Merriam-‐Webster, Incorporated, 2003.

Peters, Gordon B. The Drummer: Man. Revised ed. Wilmette, IL: Kemper Peters
Pubns, 1975.

Thompson, Robert Farris. Tango: The art of History and Love. New York, Pantheon
Books, 2005.

Randel, Don Michael. The New Harvard Dictionary of Music., Rev ed. Cambridge:
Harvard University Press, 1986.

Sadie, Stanley, and John Tyrell eds. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians
2nd ed. Vol. 1. London: Macmillian, 2001.

____________. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians 2nd ed. Vol. 2.
London: Macmillian, 2001.

Taylor, Julie. Paper Tangos. Durham: Duke University Press Books, 1998.
57

Musical Scores
Piazzolla, Astor. “Double Concerto” Homage á Liége. Jonathan Goldman. Paris: Henry
Lemoine, 2002.

Rosauro, Ney. Serenata. Hackettstown: PróPercussão Brasil, 2007.

Websites
Bogart, Ben. “Bandoneón Fingering Chart.” PDF.
http://www.benbogart.com/tangoproject/resources/Fingering%20Chart%2
0-‐%20Bandoneon%20(Ben%20Bogart)%20sharps-‐flats.pdf. 12 January
2014.

Bruce Brown and Lisa Cook, American Students of Nadia Boulanger” Chart Boulanger
America. http://nadiaboulanger.org/nb/amstudents.html accessed 12
January 2014.

Mitchell, Andy. “Classical Guitar Notation Explanation – Andy Mitchell.” Any
Mitchell. Accessed January 14, 2014,
http://ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVz5fn3VTzmMAMQpXNyoA;_ylu=X3o
DMTEzdjBsOGpxBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMQRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1NNRTM
5OF8x/RV=2/RE=1400246239/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.andymitc
hellguitar.com%2ffile_download%2f12%2fGuitarNotationExplanation.pdf/R
K=0/RS=y.UeXU5nOycLeowIZQ4Evo_k.fA-‐.

Peesinis, J. and C. Kuri. “Astor Piazzolla: Chronology of a Revolution.” Piazzolla.org.
2002. Accessed April 4, 2014.

Piazzolla, Astor “Astor Piazzolla – Zero Hour – BBC Interview 1989” (video). April
22, 1989. Accessed January 12, 2014.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5pQqxWlaE.

WordPress.com. “Piazzolla: The King of Tango Nuevo.” December 26, 2011.
Accessed December 13, 2013.
http://narrativetangotoursblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/26/piazzolla-‐the-‐
king-‐of-‐tango-‐nuevo/.

RECORDINGS
Brouwer, Leo, dir. Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège,”
Astor Piazzolla. Performed by Cacho Tirao, Astor Piazzolla and others. Artop.
2001.

Piazzolla, Astor. Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège.”
Performed by Giampaolo Bandini and others. Casa della Musica. 2009.

Piazzolla, Astor. Double Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón, “Hommage à Liège.”
Performed by Eduardo Isaac and others. Decca Music Group Limited. 2001.
58

APPENDIX A

DIAGRAM OF GUITAR PARTS

59

APPENDIX B

BANDONEON FINGERING CHARTS

60

APPENDIX C

COMPARISON OF THE ORIGINAL AND ADAPTATION/ARRANGEMENT
61

62

APPENDIX D

CHARTS OF ADAPTATIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS

Column Headings Legend:

Measure # -‐ shows the measure number corresponding to the musical score.
“Entire” refers to the entirety of the movement.

Ct. – indicates the count in which the change occurs than from what may be implied
in the music. “+3” means the “and” (or te) of beat three. The dash “-‐“ is to
imply all beats between the beats indicated i.e “1-‐3” means counts 1 through
3. “WM” signifies the Whole Measure. The comma is to separate counts (or to
be “and” therefore “1,3” would mean beats 1 and 3, but NOT beat 2.

Ob. – indicates the observed notation which is to be changed. “C/H” means both cues
and harmonic. According to the legend (in the Bandoneon/Guitar
publication) [1] refers to hitting the small upper bout, [2] is hitting the lower
part of the table, and [3] is on the bridge. Note names may also be identified
in this column.

Add. – refers to what note was added into the original music. This refers to any
octave doubling “oct. db,” trills, or arpeggiations. “ln” or “un” refers to upper
neighbor tone or lower neighbor tone. If the “1/2” is not indicated, it is a
whole step.

Red. – the reduction refers to any notes removed or redacted from the score due to
number of voices in a chord surpassing the standard playable amount in
typical four-‐mallet playing. Voice-‐leading is of the utmost importance in
these situations.

Disp. – refers to any notes displaced in the orchestration. Since this isn’t technically
a “transposition” things are displaced by the octave. Because of this there are
only two considerations for this column. “D” meaning down and “U” meaning
up.

Tech. – this column tell the reader what technique was used to accomplish the
desired effect in the adaptation. “DG” is simply a diatonic glissando in which
the player strikes a note and leave a mallet on the keyboard and pushes
down and drags the mallets to the release note while striking with the
opposite hand. “n” is to play on the nodes of the bar. “CL” meaning col legno is
to play with the shaft of the mallet. “ms” is a “marimshot” which L.H Stevens
describes as hitting the bar with both the mallet-‐head and shaft
simultaneously. The “h,m,l” refer to the high, middle, and low registers
respectively.

63

Legend of terms/techniques utilized:

+(any number) – the “+” refers to the and count of whatever number count is given,
therefore “+3” signifies the and of beat 3.

16th trip. – a 16th note triplet is used instead of a 3 note “ruff” from the preceding
measure.

16va – two octaves up.

3, 5 or 7 NC – The number tells how many notes in the chord, the “nc” refers to note
chord.

All – the whole measure, or entire section given, rather than giving a specific count
on which a change occurs.

Arp. – arpeggio.

CG – Chromatic Glissandi. Done by striking all the chromatic notes in between the
starting pitch to the target note.

CL – col legno, striking the edge of the bar with the shaft of the mallet.

Oct. Dbl. – Octave Doubling, stating that the note has been doubled by the octave for
a greater harmonic presence in the phrase. A U or D, will signify whether it
has been doubled up the octave or down.

D – Down. Under the displacement column, a notes has been displaced down the
octave.

DG – Diatonic Glissandi. done by striking the bar and pressing into the board while
moving up the diatonic keys and with the opposite hand striking the target
note normally.

ET – End Tap. Using of the end (or tip) of the mallet [closest within the hand
“tapping” the middle of the bar.

Gliss. – glissando.

GN – Grace notes.

Harm. – Harmonics.

LD – Long Durations this is any note value over an eighth note.

64

LN – lower neighbor.

Merged – the grand staff is merged into one staff by taking all the notes in the bass
clef and moving them to the treble clef.

MS – marim-‐shot. Done by striking the bar simultaneously with the mallet-‐head and
the shaft of the mallet. The h, m and l refer to the range either high, medium
or low in the tessitura, exact notes are not essential.

Mord. – “mordent”

N – play on the nodes.

Ripple – utilizing a rippled technique instead of playing a block chord.

Trill – trill.

U – Up. Under the displacement column, a note has been displaced up the octave.

UN – In the “Additions column” upper neighbor tone.

65

66

67

68

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Double

Concerto for Guitar and Bandoneón

Submitted to the Graduate Faculty

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

Dr. Lisa L. Rogers

Alan D. Shinn

Dr. Kevin Wass

Dr. Mark Sheridan

encouragement sometimes you were the only ones.

purposes during the recital.

playing great music with great musicians and friends.

for many years to come.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. ii

II. A Concise Overview of the Instruments ................................................................... 13

III. Astor Piazzolla: A Brief Biographical Sketch ........................................................ 18

IV. “Hommage á Liége”: A Description of the Work ................................................... 23

VI. Conclusion and Implications for Further Research ............................................ 54

Bibliography ........................................................................................................................... 57

A. Diagram of Guitar Parts ............................................................................................... 59

language, and deceptively simplistic, song-­‐like lyrical melodies. A few selections

March (keyboard ensemble), Libertango (marimba solos and ensembles, or

and Tres Minutos, (for percussion ensemble).

musical/aesthetic reasons for each technique employed.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. – Labeled guitar parts ....................................................................................................... 14

Figure 2. – Milonga rhythm ................................................................................................................ 25

Figure 3. – Tango rhythm .................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 4. – Extended chord ................................................................................................................. 27

Figure 5. – Poly-­‐tonal chords ............................................................................................................ 27

Figure 6. – Closing chord ...................................................................................................................... 28

Figure 7. – Second-­‐half of opening guitar cadenza ................................................................... 29

Figure 8a. – Treble clef (for guitar) ................................................................................................. 32

Figure 9a. – Two-­‐note anacrusis ....................................................................................................... 33

Figure 9b. – Three-­‐note anacrusis .................................................................................................. 33

Figure 10a. – Guitar glissando .......................................................................................................... 33

Figure 10b. – Adapted diatonic glissando .................................................................................... 33

Figure 11. – Rippled chord .................................................................................................................. 34

Figure 12a. – Guitar “cues” .................................................................................................................. 34

Figure 12b. – Adapted nodal indication ........................................................................................ 34

Figure 12c. – Mallet placement near the node ............................................................................ 34

Figure 13a. – Guitar harmonic ........................................................................................................... 35

Figure 13b. – Marimba col lengo notation/indication ............................................................. 35

Figure 15a. – Guitar notation ............................................................................................................. 36

Figure 15b. – Notation of body dampening ................................................................................ 36

Figure 16a. – Normal playing position ........................................................................................... 36

Figure 16b. – Body dampening position ...................................................................................... 36

Figure 17. – Original instruction ....................................................................................................... 37

Figure 18. – Picture of “marimshot” ................................................................................................ 37

Figure 20a. – Original melodic gesture .......................................................................................... 38

Figure 20b. – Marimba arrangement of gesture ........................................................................ 38

Figure 21a. – Original guitar phrase ................................................................................................ 38

Figure 21b. – Adapted phrase ............................................................................................................ 38

Figure 22a. – Original section of harmonics ............................................................................... 39

Figure 22b. – Added chord tones ...................................................................................................... 39

Figure 22c. – End-­‐tap technique ...................................................................................................... 39

Figure 23a. – Bandoneón entrance, m. 26 .................................................................................... 40

Figure 23b. – Vibraphone entrance, m. 26 ................................................................................... 40

Figure 24. – Added chromatic grace notes ................................................................................... 40

Figure 27a. – Original closing phrase for guitar ......................................................................... 42

Figure 27b. – Closing phrase with added meter ........................................................................ 42

Figure 29a. – Guitar, m. 12 ................................................................................................................... 44

Figure 29b. – Marimba, m. 12 ............................................................................................................ 44

language, and deceptively simplistic, song-‐like lyrical melodies. A few selections

Figure 5. – Poly-‐tonal chords ............................................................................................................ 27

Figure 7. – Second-‐half of opening guitar cadenza ................................................................... 29

Figure 9a. – Two-‐note anacrusis ....................................................................................................... 33

Figure 9b. – Three-‐note anacrusis .................................................................................................. 33

Figure 22c. – End-‐tap technique ...................................................................................................... 39

Figure 31b. – Vibraphone pitch-‐displacements, m. 4 .............................................................. 46

Figure 36a. – Bandoneón/guitar mm. 119-‐122 ......................................................................... 49

Figure 36b. – Vibraphone/marimba mm. 119-‐122 .................................................................. 49

Figure 38a. – Bandoneón/guitar double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133 ....................................... 51

Figure 38b. – Vibraphone/marimba double cadenza, mm. 130-‐133 ................................ 51

Figure 40a. – Original ending, mms. 200-‐201 ............................................................................ 53

Figure 40b. – Arranged ending, mm. 200-‐201 ............................................................................ 53

language, and deceptively simplistic, song-‐like lyrical melodies. A few selections

1839), Niccoló Paganini (1782-‐1840), Luigi Legnani (1790-‐1877), Matteo Carcassi

(1792-‐1853), Francisco Tarrega (1852-‐1909), Heitor Villa-‐Lobos (1889-‐1959),

Mario Castelnuovo-‐Tedesco (1895-‐1968), Leo Brouwer (b. 1939), Maximo Diego

Segovia (1893-‐1989), an extremely influential adaptor, transcriber, and pedagogue

Generally a wooden-‐bar keyboard instrument whose name literally means

Figure 7. Second-‐half of opening guitar cadenza