E. Donato

Edgardo Felipe Valerio Donato (April 14, 1897 – February 15, 1963) was an Argentine tango composer and conductor born in Buenos Aires who spent formative years in Montevideo, Uruguay. Self-trained musically from age eight, he became a violinist, pianist, and bandoneón conductor. Donato is best remembered as composer of “A media luz” (1924), one of the three most-recorded tango compositions worldwide, with English lyrics and verse melody by Bob Musel titled “Tell Me Marianne,” which topped British sheet music charts in June 1947. His extensive catalog of over 200 compositions includes other tango standards: “Julián” (1922, a humorously erotic work), “El huracán” (1932, co-composed with brother Osvaldo), “Muchacho,” “Riachuelo,” and “Beba.” Between 1927 and 1945, Donato led the Orquesta Típica Donato-Zerrillo (1927–1930, co-directed with violinist Roberto Zerrillo) and later the Orquesta de Edgardo Donato, known for dance-oriented arrangements and featured bandoneón solos. He recorded over 400 works across Brunswick, Victor, and Pampa labels. His musical language emphasized rhythmic drive suited for dancing; though his fame was sometimes overshadowed by contemporaries like Julio De Caro, historians credit him as a major tango innovator. He died in Buenos Aires, aged 65, of acute myocardial infarction.