Osvaldo Pugliese

Who was Osvaldo Pugliese?

Osvaldo Pedro Pugliese was an Argentine tango musician. He developed dramatic arrangements that retained strong elements of the walking beat of salon tango but also heralded the development of concert-style tango music.

Some of his music, mostly since the 50s, is used for theatrical dance performances. In Buenos Aires, Pugliese is often played later in the evening when the dancers want to dance more slowly, impressionistically and intimately.

Pugliese is a great choice for slower tango dance music, but the arrangements can be a bit more rhythmically challenging than those played by other orchestras. 'Recuerdo' and 'La yumba' are two of Pugliese's most popular tangos.

Pugliese was outspoken in his political opinions. His communist sympathies, though never violent, at times earned him the hostility of those in power. Populist President Juan Perón is said to have had labor union heavies once intimidate Pugliese by locking him in a sinking boat, rescuing him at the last minute; though the alleged 1949 incident has never been proven, the day Pres. Perón awarded the great pianist the Order of May, he embraced Pugliese, saying: "Thank you, maestro, for forgiving".