Zorzal Criollo (Creole Songbird) was a name that Carlos Gardel was known by. Argentinas most well loved and famous tango singer, Gardel is buried in La Chacarita Cementerio and his tomb is the most visited in Buenos Aires, if not Argentina.
Today I visited the tomb - it certainly is very impressive...topped by a life size statue of him in a very rakish pose, the slicked back hair and wide grin in place...usually there is a real cigarette between his fingers and sometimes a red carnation in his pocket (check the photos), certainly there are always flores at his grave. In fact while I was standing there an old man came and laid some hastily picked flores there. There are several flower stalls outside the gates to the cementerio for this purpose. Amazing! The surrounding stonework is completely filled up with plaques of gratitude from all manner of people and from all over the world. One plaque is from a very grateful mujer whose husband suffered from depression, and she attributes his recovery in a large part to her husband being able to listen to the songs of Carlos - its very lovely to read the tributes.
The great Argentine writer Borges wrote that "the Tango was born in the brothels", nobody really knows where Tango was born, but it certainly developed amongst the Porteños....the people of the port areas of Buenos Aires....and its bordellos and bars. It is generally agreed that Tango was born in the melting pot of all the the different European immigrant groups, crillos, blacks and natives, that were all drawn together when the city became the capital of Argentina in 1880. "Tango was thus forged from a range of musical influences that included
Andalucian flamenco, southern Italian melodies, Cuban habanera, African candombe and percussion, European polkas and mazurkas, Spanish contradanse and the milonga, which is the rural song of the Argentine gaucho. It is a music imbued with immigrant history." Because of the proportionalely high population of men compared to women, machismo and violence became part of the culture and originally only men danced together in the low class cafes and bars practicing new steps. Their dances tended to be showy but threatening, usually revolving around a possessive relationship between two men and one woman.
Andalucian flamenco, southern Italian melodies, Cuban habanera, African candombe and percussion, European polkas and mazurkas, Spanish contradanse and the milonga, which is the rural song of the Argentine gaucho. It is a music imbued with immigrant history." Because of the proportionalely high population of men compared to women, machismo and violence became part of the culture and originally only men danced together in the low class cafes and bars practicing new steps. Their dances tended to be showy but threatening, usually revolving around a possessive relationship between two men and one woman.
While visiting the barrio of La Boca en Octubre I was lucky enough to see two men dancing the Tango together - it was really something and extremely physical and showy. Photo below.
While I was at the cementerio I met a very lovely man who proceeded to take me the tomb of Carlos Gardel and gave me a very quick run down on the man...for about an hour, and I am pleased to report that I understood almost everything he said. Some people I find very easy to understand but others are so very difficult. However, today I felt very encouraged...I just wish my speaking would come along. My reading and listening has improved so much, but the speaking bit is so difficult. I am so worried about it that I think I many have developed a mental block.
Ahora en Castellano:
Zorzal Crillo era un nombre que Carlos Cardel era conocia. El era mas amado y muy famoso cantante de tango - es terrado en el cementerio de la chacarita y su lapida esta el mas visitado en Buenos Aires, si no en Argentina.
Hoy visite el lapida y seguramente esta estupendo. Una estatua esta arriba el lapida y usualmente hay un cigarillo entre sus dedos y a veces hay una flor en su bolsillo, y siempre hay muchos flores en su lapida.
