Horacio Salgán & Dante Amicarelli

Horacio Salgán & Dante Amicarelli was an Argentine piano duo formed in 1969 by legendary tango composer and pianist Horacio Salgán (1916–2016) and classically trained pianist Dante Amicarelli (1917–1996). The ensemble emerged from the Instituto de Estudios Musicales (Institute of Musical Studies) created by both musicians to develop sophisticated arrangements bridging classical, jazz, Brazilian, and traditional Argentine repertoires. Between 1970 and 1971, the duo recorded two landmark albums for Phillips Records: Salgán-Amicarelli: Dos Virtuosos del Piano (1970) and El Bosque Mágico (1971), accompanied by bass and drums. Their programming encompassed works by Gershwin, Debussy, and Schubert alongside tangos, waltzes, zamba, chacarera, and malambo. The partnership exemplified Salgán’s modernist vision of instrumental tango designed for listening rather than dancing. Though Amicarelli’s death in 1996 ended their collaboration, their recordings endure as celebrated examples of sophisticated tango and cross-cultural musical fusion, showcasing the virtuosity of two of Argentina’s finest pianists.

Sources note: Sources diverge on when the Instituto de Estudios Musicales was created: some sources cite 1967, others indicate it coincided with the duo’s 1969 formation. The precise founding date of the Institute remains ambiguous in available sources.