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Daniel Binelli
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Daniel Binelli (FLEFF Distinguished Composer in Residence) is an internationally renowned bandoneon virtuoso from Argentina who performs across the world. The bandoneon is a unique and sensuous keyboard instrument associated with the tango. A prolific composer, Binelli is also widely acclaimed as the foremost exponent and torchbearer of the music of Astor Piazzolla. In 1989 he joined Astor Piazzolla's New Tango Sextet. From 1968 until 1982, he was a member and arranger of Osvaldo Pugliese' Orquesta Típica.
He has also performed as guest soloist on bandoneon with the Symphony Orchestras of Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Buffalo, Atlanta, Virginia, Sidney (Australia), Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich, NHK (Tokyo), and Teatro Colon Orchestra of Buenos Aires.
He has recorded more than 50 CDs including Tangazo with the Montreal Symphony conducted by Charles Dutoit, Orquestango with Polly Ferman (piano) and the Uruguayan Philharmonic, Daniel Binelli Tango, Daniel Binelli and The Camerata Bariloche, "Daniel Binelli – Astor Piazzolla New Tango Sextet, La Música Argentina y el tang" with guitarist Eduardo Isaac and "New Tango Vision" with the Binelli-Ferman-Isaac Trio.
He is musical director of Tango Metropolis, and the Daniel Binelli Quintet.
History of the Bandoneon (taken from wikipedia)
The bandoneón is a free-reed instrument particularly popular in Argentina. It plays an essential role in the orquesta tipica, the tango orchestra. The bandoneón, called bandonion by its German inventor, Heinrich Band, was originally intended as an instrument for religious music and the popular music of the day, in contrast to its closest cousin, the German concertina (or Konzertina), considered to be a folk instrument. German emigrants to Argentina brought the instrument with them in the early twentieth century, where it was incorporated into the local music. Like accordions and concertinas, the bandoneón is played by holding the instrument between both hands and either pushing in or pulling out the instrument while simultaneously pressing one or more buttons with the fingers.
Unlike the piano accordion, the bandoneón does not have keyboards per se, but has buttons on both sides; and also unlike most accordions, most buttons on the bandoneón produce a different note when played closing than when played opening. This means that each keyboard has actually two layouts - one for the opening notes, and one for the closing notes. Since the right and left hand keyboards are also different, this adds up to four different keyboard layouts that must be learned in order to play the instrument. There is also a difference between the notes produced on the button layout of an Argentine-tuned bandoneón versus a German-tuned one.
Additionally, none of these keyboard layouts presents a scalar sequence of notes. A few of the adjacent buttons form triads, for example the buttons under three adjacent fingers might sound G, B, and D when the instrument is pushed in, and F#, A, and C when it is pulled out -- an example from an Argentine-tuned bandoneón. This makes it easier to play some simple music with I-V harmony, but quite challenging to play elaborate scalar passages and runs.
The late Argentinian classicist and tango king Ástor Piazzolla was a leading exponent of the bandoneón. His "Fugata" from 1969 showcases the instrument which plays the initial fugue subject on the 3rd statement, then moves on to the outright tango played after the introduction.