Tangos Among Friends

In this hour-shy 1997 performance documentary, classical pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim returns to his birthplace of Buenos Aires to record tangos as part of an ensemble that also includes Rodolfo Mederos on the bandoleon and Hector Console on the double bass. The film features footage of the trio's rehearsals and concert performances of seven pieces—three by Carlos Gardel, and others by Astor Piazzolla, Horacio Salgán, and Alberto Ginastera. But Tangos Among Friends goes well beyond the music to offer a mini-history of the dance, using archival footage and excerpts from film musicals to present what amounts to a short biography of Gardel, who's described as the man who transformed the tango (originally a rather disreputable, lower-class dance form) into something both respected and beloved as the expression of the Argentine soul. Throughout, Barenboim's energetic commentary, supplemented by observations from musicologist-musicians such as Mederos and composers like Salgán, provides both a colorful explanation and an appreciation for the development and continuing vibrancy of the tango. Tenor Placido Domingo shows up briefly not only to sing tangos to Barenboim's accompaniment, but also to man the keyboards himself. Both devotees of tango and fans of Barenboim will find much to enjoy here, although the filmmaking itself is rather ordinary, as is the LPCM stereo sound. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)