February 2010 Review of Piazzolla Videos

There were 495 videos of Piazzolla’s music posted on YouTube in the month of February, 2010, an increase of 30% over February, 2009. 339 (69%) 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 have highlighted my journey through these many videos in this blog.

Forty-four percent of the performance videos were in the classical mode, 18% in Nuevo tango, 23% in pop and 15% in jazz.

Here are the most frequently performed pieces this month (Libertango was the most frequently played – 29% of the total; the others follow in order):

1. Libertango
2. Adios Nonino
3. Oblivion
4. Verano Porteño
5. Invierno Porteño
6. Milonga del ángel
7. Otoño Porteño
8. Ave Maria
9. La Muerte del ángel
10. Primavera Porteña

The top three on this list seem to be fairly stable month-to-month but the bottom seven change every month. This is the first month in which none of the Histoire du tango series appear in the top ten. Sixty-nine different compositions were covered in the videos this month.

The performance videos came from 39 different countries. Italy posted the most videos: 52. The top ten posting countries are listed in order here:

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

There were eight Piazzolla original performances posted. All of them have been previously posted.

Quality of performance varied from excellent to bizarre. My choice for best of the month is the performance of Libertango by clarinetist Giora Feinman and the Gershwin Quartet.

The choice for most bizarre this month is a promotional video from the Tango Nuevo Cabaret show which hit the bizarre button when the dancers came out in military fatigues.

I have put a table with links to all 495 videos as well as some more information on the videos on the February, 2010 link in my Piazzolla on Video website.