The successful orchestra
After almost all the musicians had left Julio de Caro in a dispute in 1934, Laurenz took over the sceptre and ventured a new start with some of the old colleagues, which was anything but uncomplicated. Musically, Laurenz was simply too far ahead of his time. This was already evident from the fact that he had failed with a progressive project shortly before. Together with the stars of the 1940s, Aníbal Troilo, Emilio Vardaro and Osvaldo Pugliese, he recorded a test recording for it in 1933 that still exists, but was rejected by the record company as too progressive and thus too difficult to sell. Much of Laurenz's incomparable style is already audible here: the rockiness paired with lyrical phrases, a multitude of musical ideas and of course Pedro's incomparable bandoneon solos.
After a first engagement at the Café 36 Bailles, the orchestra - probably more in spite of than because of its innovative style - landed a radio slot, which finally paved the way to the recording studio in 1937.
The most important pillar of support in the early years, besides long-time friend and violinist Samy Friedenthal, was his bandoneon partner of many years, Armando Blasco.
Even the first recording, Milonga de mis amores, burns with energy and is full of new ideas, but it is above all Laurenz's recording of Arrabal (1937) that still electrifies today. Over a rhythmic foundation unfolded by the piano in a demanding 3-3-2 pattern, cascades of energetic notes bubble up again and again, which Laurenz elicits from his bandoneon, while at the same time musical ideas and mini-patterns are superimposed on the driving rhythm. Osvaldo Pugliese was a big fan of this masterpiece. He began almost every performance with Arrabal.
The same energy is felt in the tango Amurado (1940, instrumental), in which Laurenz constantly shines in dialogue with the piano in soaring mini-bandoneon solos in cascades of 32nd notes. Laurenz, a self-taught instrumental genius, had no basic musical training, which is why he usually left the arranging to his pianists, such as Armando Federico, Héctor Grané or later Miguel Nijenson.
The nucleus of the Laurenz sound is, of course, the master's rousing bandoneon playing. His predecessors played more schmaltzy, softer. Laurenz elicits a pulsating melodia rítmica from the bandoneon, his sound is open, luminous, brilliant and powerful. He plays with expression, depth and emotion, and this also includes a sometimes cheeky, sometimes scratchy, sometimes aggressive tone. The pieces up to 1942 build even more on a staccato basic beat, but are nevertheless packed with little rhythmic gimmicks and witty musical combinations, over which wonderful melodies of the voices or the violins are superimposed.
And everywhere, but especially in the form of long, frenzied solos, Laurenz's seemingly breathless bandoneon playing, played along with both hands in virtuoso fashion, emerges sparklingly. It's his playing that drives his orchestra forward.
The spring of 1943 brought some changes for the band:
Laurenz changed from the Victor record label to Odeon.
But more importat Laurenz had got Alberto Podestá as a singer. Now the music of the Laurenz Orchestra also became quieter and more lyrical, following the public's taste. The longer vocal parts by Podestá (e.g. 24 de Agosto, 1943) or Jorge Linares (e.g. Ésta noche al pasar, 1944) leave less room for Laurenz's energetic solos. But with his intensive playing, incomparable tone and timbre, Pedro continues to shape almost every phrase of these gems. And a certain pulsation, a slight waxing and waning, an apparent breathing of the orchestra are always present. This pulsation is maybe the key to the magic of Laurenz's sound.
After 1944, Laurenz no longer succeeds in setting accents. The few recordings he made are characterised by weak singers and uninnovative new recordings of old classics. His orchestra, however, continued well into the 1950s.
Pedro Laurenz was a high life man, he was one of the most elegant orchestra leaders of his time, who had his clothes and those of the orchestra members made by the most expensive tailors in town. Shirt, socks, tie, handkerchief, everything had to match.
He was considered a friendly, straight, very affable character to whom maximum earnings did not mean so much, which is why he repeatedly gave compositions to impoverished colleagues so that they had marketing rights and thus regular income.
And so, of course, Laurenz was there in 1943 when all the major dance orchestras supported charity balls for the city of San Juan, which had been destroyed in a terrible earthquake that killed 10,000 people. Most of these solidarity balls, by the way, were organised by the local football clubs in their stadiums.
Tigre viejo (1933)
Rehearsal recording of the Sexteto Vardaro with Troilo and Laurenz on the banoneons
Arrabal (1937)
Carlitos Espinoza y Noelia Hurtado, Mariela Sametband y Guille Barrionuevo en Madrid - 2018
Abandono
Around the world in 80 Tangos - Episode 7 - Abandono - Pedro Laurenz - Episode 7 - by Daniela and Raimund from Berlin (2021)
Amurado
Raquel Greenberg & Gabriel Marino, Blackpool, 2014
Que nunca me falta (1943, Podestá)
Juan Amaya y Valentina Garnier - Yira Yira Milonga. Nuevo Club Gricel, BA - 2019
Washington Bertolin, who played with his jazz combo alternating with the tango orchestras, was incidentally the accordion genius who gave Edgardo Donato's orchestra its cheerful tone in the 1930s.