Program notes

Tango (Stravinsky arr. Schultz) (2026)

Stravinsky’s Tango from 1940 was originally written as a piano piece. I reworked the piece for clarinet, viola, cello and piano for my own ensemble, Musica Troppo, to play in 1988. It was a piece I had arranged once before, as a student, for clarinet, bassoon and harpsichord; the dry and brittle sounds of Stravinsky’s original piano version had certainly captured my imagination. Subsequently, a new edition of my clarinet, viola, cello and piano version was produced in 2023 although the arrangement is barely unchanged from 1988.  

Subsequently, in 2026, the Tango was arranged in two new versions for soprano saxophone, bassoon and piano and for soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone and piano.

In the interim since 1988 I had become an amateur and not very accomplished tangoist myself and can now say with certainty that whilst Stravinsky’s piece is not very ‘Buenos Aires’ it definitely has the rhythmic pulse and occasional marcato, improvisatory flourishes that distinguish the tango dance style.  

© Andrew Schultz, 2026.

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Igor Stravinsky arranged by Andrew Schultz –  Tango (for clarinet, viola, cello and piano).

Musica Troppo, AMC Sydney, December 1988, premiere performance (private recording).

 

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Igor Stravinsky arranged by Andrew Schultz –  Tango (for soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone and piano).

Yundi Yuan (piano), Niels Bijl (soprano sax), Sara Beale (baritone sax), Yarragon Studio, July 2026, premiere performance (3BBR recording).

 

© These recordings are copyright and intended for private listening use only. They may not be broadcast or distributed without permission.

 

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