Aníbal Troilo

Aníbal Carmelo Troilo (1914–1975), known by the affectionate nickname “Pichuco,” was an Argentine bandoneonist, composer, and founder of Aníbal Troilo y su Orquesta Típica, one of tango’s most influential ensembles. Born in Buenos Aires on July 11, 1914, Troilo established his orchestra in 1937 at the Marabú nightclub, and for nearly four decades it remained among the most popular orchestras for social dancers during tango’s golden age (1940–1955) before transitioning to concert performances. His ensemble became legendary for its sophisticated arrangements and served as a launching pad for prominent vocalists including Francisco Fiorentino, Roberto Goyeneche, Edmundo Rivero, and Floreal Ruiz; the young Astor Piazzolla also played bandoneon and arranged for the orchestra in the early 1940s. As a composer, Troilo created over 60 original works, including “Sur” (1948), “Che, bandoneón” (1950), “La trampera,” and “Responso” (1951, dedicated to poet Homero Manzi). He is widely credited with helping transform tango from purely dance music into a concert art form, earning the epithet “Supreme Bandoneón of Buenos Aires.” Troilo died in Buenos Aires from cardiac and cerebral complications; sources disagree on the exact date, giving either May 18 or May 19, 1975. In 2005 Argentina declared July 11, his birthday, National Bandoneón Day in his honor; he is buried in La Chacarita Cemetery.