Astor Piazolla: the story of one gift
Vicente knew his only kid was dreaming badly about a pair of skates (Astor had been asking for it for months already), but he himself could not pass by a bandoneon offered at a pawnshop[=EX1]. He agreed with the seller about the price and the time for it to be paid and left the shop with a box of about 4 kg.
Astor met his father at home. At discovering that the heavy box was meant for him, the boy almost forgot how to breathe. These certainly must be skates! Finally, he will become as cool (or even cooler) as his friends from the street! The day could not be better for the kid of eight or nine years old.
When Astor opened the box, the sparkles in his eyes vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
Tango and a bandoneon used to play it were his father’s old passion, never his. It was Vincent Piazzolla who would listen to tango daily but not Astor, who would rather spend time playing football outside. The boy was ready to cry when his father sat down nearby with the instrument in his hands.
Astor, this is the instrument of tango, I want you to learn playing it.
The kid was so devasted by the gift that the poor bandoneon had to live in the darkest corner of the room or even in the bathroom for a few months before Astor would become at least a bit curious about it. It would take many, many years but the instrument of tango would ultimately become part of Astor’s life – equally emotional, controversial, and highly authentic.
Astor Piazzolla in 1975.
Image by Alicia D'Amico, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain (colorised)
[=EX1] a store where you can leave possessions in order to borrow money, or buy objects that others have left there and that are now for sale