The Genius Who Preferred to 'Express' Rather Than Show Off
Aníbal Troilo, born on July 11, 1914 in the Abasto neighborhood of Buenos Aires, is one of the most genuine figures in Argentine tango. (For context, tango is a globally famous music and dance genre born in the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, and the bandoneon—a type of concertina—is its soul instrument). Baptized by the poet Julián Centeya as the Bandoneón Mayor (Grand Bandoneon), Pichuco managed to express the deepest feelings of several generations with his instrument.
As reflected in a recent editorial by Caras y Caretas, Troilo did not seek technical virtuosity above all else, but rather emotion. 'His bandoneon spoke, breathed, and transmitted nostalgia and melancholy,' the text describes. His famous phrase, Yo nunca me fui, siempre estoy volviendo ('I never left, I am always returning'), illustrates his inseparable bond with the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and popular culture.
Yo soy del barrio. Y el barrio es una manera de sentir. (I belong to the neighborhood. And the neighborhood is a way of feeling.)
The Guardian of the Legacy: Francisco Torné
To get to know the private Troilo, the media also published an interview with Francisco Torné, Troilo's 'grandson of the heart' (a close familial bond not necessarily by blood) and current guardian of his work. At 65 years old, Torné, an accountant and member of the National Academy of Tango, tells how the family keeps the musician's artistic heritage alive.
Torné reveals that on Sunday family visits, there was no music: 'Pichuco played professionally all day... in the moments he could, he tried to rest.' However, walking through the streets of Buenos Aires was an adventure. 'It took us an hour and a half to walk four or five blocks because people would stop him, mostly to talk about soccer, since he was a huge fan of River Plate,' he recalls. (River Plate is one of the most popular soccer clubs in Argentina).
The Bandoneons That Travel the World
One of the most moving stories is that of his instruments. Zita, Troilo's wife, gifted his three bandoneons to Astor Piazzolla, Raúl Garello, and Osvaldo Piro—all legendary tango musicians. In 2006, Garello donated his to the Academy, and some time later, Piro returned his to the family with the intention that they 'make it play.' 'That bandoneon has traveled more than Pichuco,' says Torné, explaining that they take it around the world so people can approach it and learn its history.
Roots in Italy and a Historic Centennial
Troilo's legacy transcends borders. Torné frequently travels to Archi, a small town in the Abruzzo region of Italy, from where the musician's paternal grandparents originated. A festival is held there in his honor, after a local historian discovered his family tree.
In 2014, marking the centenary of his birth, 450 tributes were organized in 150 countries. Today, the first music school to bear his name opens its doors in Pompeya, a traditional neighborhood in southern Buenos Aires. Additionally, the family is working with the City's Music Institute to digitize his work and musical arrangements, making them accessible to schools and universities.
Pichuco, the Sower of Love
Anecdotes of his spontaneous generosity are endless. Torné recalls when Troilo heard a taxi driver say he worked late to buy his son a bicycle: Pichuco handed him all the cash he had on him and told him, 'Now you can go home to your son.' Or the story of a couple who saw him in a restaurant on their wedding day; when they asked for the bill, Troilo had already paid it.
'You won't find anyone who speaks ill of him. That's the best gift we can have,' concludes his grandson. Decades after his passing, Aníbal Troilo continues to prove that, indeed, he never left and is always returning.