A few years ago while on a visit to Argentina, I was introduced to the music of Ariel Ramirez, one of Argentina's treasures. We bought a few CDs and listened to them often while staying in our appartment in La Recoleta, an upscale neighbourhood of Buenos Aires which still maintains the heady atmosphere and refined architecture of the boom times when the phrase, "rich as an Argentinian" was still operative. The music of Ramirez captures the essence of those times.
I bought a raft of piano music by Ramirez and have been exploring it over the past year. Only then did the true depth of his genius emerge for me. You can read about him here: Ariel Ramirez
Better yet, sample some of his music. I am especially fond of Alfonsina y el Mar, a tribute to Alfonsina Storni, a Swiss-born Argentine poet who drowned herself off the beach at Mar de Plata in 1937 following emotional difficulties and a diagnosis of breast cancer. The music is very emotive.
The best approach is to start with this rather sentimental version which also contains an English translation of the work.
Alfonsina y el Mar
With this experience, turn to this version which features the master himself and Mercedes Sosa, one of Argentina's greatest vocalists. Together, these musicians capture the essence of Alfonsina, a balance between deep sentimentality and the discipline of a written score ... and greater for all of that. The poor sound quality of the clip detracts only in a small measure to the greatness of their performance.
Mercedes and Ariel together
One of Ramirez' greatest achievements is his Misa Criolla. The music flows through the living spaces of many Argentinians during the Christmas season and for a good reason .... It's magnificent. A discography is readily available over the Internet and in the Wikipedia entry at the start of this entry.
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