Repetition and Contrast – Example

As mentioned in a previous tip, there are repeating elements (R) (the same rhythm and melody, or just the same rhythm) and concluding elements (C) in tango music. Call and response is another central concept in tango music. A musical idea appears and a musical response to that idea follows. Ideally, call and response should be danced differently even if their melodies and rhythms are similar. Musical elements of the same length are grouped to make a bigger musical element, and a section is the largest substructure of tango music.

Below is the structural annotation of El Choclo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGurZz-eQzQ) with R, C, call, response, and section. Notice nested structure. The numbers are minute:second in it. Ideally, variation and contrast should be used in dancing a pair of call and response and that of R and C.

-= A section =-

0:01 – 0:09 R1
..0:01 – 0:04 R2 (Call)
….0:01 – 0:02 R3
….0:02 – 0:03 R3
….0:03 – 0:05 C3_
..0:05 – 0:09 R2 (Response)
….0:05 – 0:06 R3
….0:06 – 0:07 R3
….0:07 – 0:09 C3_
0:09 – 0:17 R1
..0:09 – 0:13 R2 (Call)
….0:09 – 0:10 R3
….0:10 – 0:11 R3
….0:11 – 0:13 C3_
..0:13 – 0:17 R2 (Response)
….0:13 – 0:14 R3
….0:14 – 0:15 R3
….0:15 – 0:17 C3_
0:17 – 0:25 R1
..0:17 – 0:21 R2 (Call)
….0:17 – 0:18 R3
….0:18 – 0:19 R3
….0:19 – 0:21 C3_
..0:21 – 0:25 R2 (Response)
….0:21 – 0:22 R3
….0:22 – 0:23 R3
….0:23 – 0:25 C3_
0:25 – 0:33 C1
..0:25 – 0:27 R4
….0:25 – 0:26 Call
….0:26 – 0:27 Response
..0:27 – 0:29 R4
….0:27 – 0:28 Call
….0:28 – 0:29 Response
..0:29 – 0:31 R4
….0:29 – 0:30 Call
….0:30 – 0:31 Response
..0:31 – 0:33 C4_

-= B section =-

0:33 – 0:35 R5
..0:33 – 0:34 Call
..0:34 – 0:35 Response
0:35 – 0:37 R5
..0:35 – 0:36 Call
..0:36 – 0:37 Response
0:37 – 0:39 R5
..0:37 – 0:38 Call
..0:38 – 0:39 Response
0:39 – 0:41 C5

0:41 – 0:43 R5
..0:41 – 0:42 Call
..0:42 – 0:43 Response
0:43 – 0:45 C5
0:45 – 0:46 R6
0:46 – 0:47 R6
0:47 – 0:49 C6_

0:49 – 0:51 R5
..0:49 – 0:50 Call
..0:50 – 0:51 Response
0:51 – 0:53 R5
..0:51 – 0:52 Call
..0:52 – 0:53 Response
0:53 – 0:55 R5
..0:53 – 0:54 Call
..0:54 – 0:55 Response
0:55 – 0:57 C5

0:57 – 0:59 R5
..0:57 – 0:58 Call
..0:58 – 0:59 Response
0:59 – 1:01 C5
1:01 – 1:02 R6
1:02 – 1:03 R6
1:03 – 1:05 C6_

-= C section =-

1:05 – 1:09 R7
..1:05 – 1:06 R8
..1:06 – 1:07 R8
..1:07 – 1:09 C8_
1:09 – 1:13 R7
..1:09 – 1:10 R8
..1:10 – 1:11 R8
..1:11 – 1:13 C8_
1:13 – 1:17 R7 variation
..1:13 – 1:14 R8 variation
..1:14 – 1:15 R8 variation
..1:15 – 1:17 C8_
1:17 – 1:21 C7_

1:21.5 – 1:25.5 R7 with counter-melody
..1:21.5 – 1:22.5 R8
..1:22.5 – 1:23.5 R8
..1:23.5 – 1:25.5 C8_
1:25.5 – 1:29.5 R7 with counter-melody
..1:25.5 – 1:26.5 R8
..1:26.5 – 1:27.5 R8
..1:27.5 – 1:29.5 C8_
1:29.5 – 1:33.5 R7 variation
..1:29.5 – 1:30.5 R8 variation
..1:30.5 – 1:31.5 R8 variation
..1:31.5 – 1:33.5 C8_
1:33.5 – 1:37.5 C7_

-= B section =-

1:37.5 – 2:10

-= A section with counter-melody =-

2:10 – end