This document focuses on the composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-92) and his solo piano work, Three Preludes: Leijia’s Game-Tango Prelude, Flora’s Game-Milonga Prelude, Sunny’s Game-Valse Prelude (1987). Astor Piazzolla, one of the most influential figures in tango history, has put significant efforts into the transformation of the
tango and promoting the tango globally. Furthermore, he revolutionized the tango with his new style, nuevo tango, in which he incorporated classical music and jazz elements into this popular music genre.
Piazzolla was very prolific, and his oeuvre includes more than one thousand works. He also composed for solo piano, although most of these pieces are shorter in length. His most famous piano solo work is perhaps Three Preludes: Leijia’s Game, Flora’s Game, and Sunny’s Game. Leijia’s Game is titled in the score as Tango Prelude. Flora’s Game is a Milonga Prelude, originally the dance that preceded the tango. Sunny’s Game is a Valse Prelude; it also belongs to the tango family, which is the tango version of waltz.
This paper explores this particular piano work by Piazzolla using style and formal analysis. Chapter 2 surveys the history of the tango. Chapter 3 deals with the style and formal analysis of the three pieces. In addition to a discussion of Piazzolla’s
composition style in the pieces, performance suggestions are offered based on the analysis, along with experience gained from playing the piece. Chapter 4 offers overall performance recommendations on rubato, rhythm, pedal, dynamics, articulations, and fingerings for Three Preludes.