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for contra alto, bandoneón, violin, piano, and contrabass  

Rolfe’s own words best describe the challenge he faced in composing this work—the difficulty of writing from outside of the culture and style—and how he rose to meet it: “As an Anglo-Canadian composer writing a tango, I’m skating on thin ice. How can my stolid northern soul find its way into the very particular language, singing, rhythm, and soul of this dance? This tango is an imaginary journey, with me clutching my own peculiar musical baggage, and Federico García Lorca my guide. His incandescent ghazal lends both spark and structure, leading me through the dance.” Rolfe accomplishes his venture into foreign terrain by interpreting the rhythmic aspects of tango and translating these into his own compositional language. The result is a piece that refers unmistakably to the tango without attempting to imitate or subvert its style. 

Performed by:
Veronica Larc, contra-alto
Serouj Kradjian, piano
Lara St. John, violin
Hector Del Curto, bandoneón
Dave Young, bass