Role

:

Composer Performer

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Horacio Ferrer was a renowned Argentine poet, playwright, and composer who is best known for his contributions to the genre of tango. Born on June 2, 1933, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Ferrer grew up in a family of artists and intellectuals. His father was a painter, and his mother was a writer, and they instilled in him a love of the arts from a young age. Ferrer's interest in music began when he was a child, and he started playing the guitar at the age of 12. He was also an avid reader and writer, and he began writing poetry and plays in his teenage years. After completing his studies in law and social sciences, Ferrer moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1957 to pursue a career in the arts. In Buenos Aires, Ferrer became involved in the tango scene and began collaborating with some of the most prominent tango musicians of the time, including Astor Piazzolla and Anibal Troilo. He wrote lyrics for many of their songs, and his poetic and evocative words helped to elevate tango from a popular dance music to a sophisticated art form. Ferrer's first major success as a lyricist came in 1967 with the release of the album "El Gordo Triste" by Astor Piazzolla. The album featured Ferrer's lyrics and Piazzolla's music, and it was a critical and commercial success. The album's title track, "El Gordo Triste," became an instant classic and is still considered one of the greatest tango songs of all time. In the years that followed, Ferrer continued to collaborate with Piazzolla and other tango musicians, and he also began to write and perform his own music. He released several albums of his own compositions, including "Horacio Ferrer canta sus tangos" (1973) and "Chiquilín de Bachín" (1977), which featured his most famous song, "Balada para un loco." "Balada para un loco" was written in collaboration with Piazzolla and was first performed by the singer Amelita Baltar in 1969. The song tells the story of a madman who falls in love with a prostitute, and it is a haunting and beautiful tribute to the power of love and the human spirit. The song became an instant classic and has been covered by many artists over the years, including Frank Sinatra and Julio Iglesias. In addition to his work as a musician, Ferrer was also a prolific writer and playwright. He wrote several books of poetry, including "Romancero canyengue" (1963) and "Tango: el malevo" (1976), and he also wrote several plays, including "El amor y la muerte" (1964) and "El tango del viudo" (1970). Ferrer's contributions to the world of tango were recognized with many awards and honors over the years. In 1991, he was awarded the Konex Award for Best Tango Lyricist of the Decade, and in 1992, he was awarded the National Prize for Literature in Argentina. He was also named a UNESCO Artist for Peace in 2000, in recognition of his contributions to the promotion of peace and understanding through the arts. Ferrer continued to perform and write until his death on December 21, 2014, at the age of 81. His legacy as a poet, playwright, and composer lives on, and his contributions to the world of tango continue to inspire and delight audiences around the world.

More....