December Review of Piazzolla Videos

There were 481 videos of Piazzolla’s music posted on YouTube in the month of December, 2009. 349 (73%) of the videos were performance videos featuring live performances. The others were videos which used Piazzolla’s music as a sound track for photo or video montages. I highlighted my journey through these many videos in this blog.

Thirty-two percent of the performance videos were in the classical mode, 26% in Nuevo tango, 30% in pop and 12% in jazz.

Here are the most frequently performed pieces this month (Libertango was the most frequently played – 27% of the total; the others follow in order):

1. Libertango
2. Adios Nonino
3. Oblivion
4. Verano Porteño
5. Primavera Porteña
6. La Muerte del ángel
7. Invierno Porteño
8. Histoire du tango – Café 1930
9. Milonga del ángel
10. Balada para un Loco, Michelangelo 70, Tango Suite, Tango etudes (tie)

The top three on this list seem to be fairly stable month-to-month but the bottom seven change every month.

The performance videos came from 40 different countries. Argentina posted the most videos: 60. The top ten posting countries are listed in order here:

1. Argentina
2. Italy
3. USA
4. Spain
5. Brazil
6. Russia
7. Japan
8. Germany
9. France
10. Mexico

There were eighteen Piazzolla original performances posted. Only one of these was new to YouTube: Balada para mi muerte. In addition, the first complete video of Bandoneón from Suite Troiliana was posted. The others have been previously posted.

Quality of performance varied from excellent to bizarre. My choice for best of the month is the performance by Raúl Lavié and Piazzolla’s Quintet of Balada para mi muerte.

The choice for most bizarre this month is a video of a man sniffing a burning Piazzolla record while listening to Extasis.

I have put a table with links to all 481 videos as well as some more information on the videos on the December link in my Piazzolla on Video website.