Tango is a contemporary Mexican art song by José Enrique González Medina, set to a poem by Roberto Castillo Udiarte. It is the third song of the cycle Cinco canciones tijuanenses, from El cancionero bajacaliforniano (2003–2006), presented here in its 2023 chamber version for baritone, bassoon, and piano.
Inspired by the atmosphere of Tijuana, the poem unfolds as a sequence of vivid urban memories: cold coffee mornings, worn-out shoes, greasy work clothes, dark streets, late-night bars, closed shops, forgotten books, and long nights spent waiting for dawn. Beneath these everyday images lies a quiet reflection on solitude, routine, and the passage of time.
The music evokes the expressive character of the tango while blending it with a contemporary harmonic language. The bassoon becomes an equal dramatic partner to the voice, echoing and extending the emotional landscape, while the piano provides rhythmic drive and rich harmonic color. Alternating between lyrical passages and moments of dramatic intensity, the work offers performers a compelling fusion of poetry, theatricality, and chamber music.
Instrumentation: Baritone, Bassoon, and Piano
Voice Type: Baritone
Language: Spanish
Composer: José Enrique González Medina (Mexico)
Poet: Roberto Castillo Udiarte (Mexico)
Collection: Cinco canciones tijuanenses, from El cancionero bajacaliforniano (2003–2006), version for baritone, bassoon, and piano (2023)
Tango is a contemporary Mexican art song by José Enrique González Medina, set to a poem by Roberto Castillo Udiarte. It is the third song of the cycle Cinco canciones tijuanenses, from El cancionero bajacaliforniano (2003–2006), presented here in its 2023 chamber version for baritone, bassoon, and piano.
Inspired by the atmosphere of Tijuana, the poem unfolds as a sequence of vivid urban memories: cold coffee mornings, worn-out shoes, greasy work clothes, dark streets, late-night bars, closed shops, forgotten books, and long nights spent waiting for dawn. Beneath these everyday images lies a quiet reflection on solitude, routine, and the passage of time.
The music evokes the expressive character of the tango while blending it with a contemporary harmonic language. The bassoon becomes an equal dramatic partner to the voice, echoing and extending the emotional landscape, while the piano provides rhythmic drive and rich harmonic color. Alternating between lyrical passages and moments of dramatic intensity, the work offers performers a compelling fusion of poetry, theatricality, and chamber music.
Instrumentation: Baritone, Bassoon, and Piano
Voice Type: Baritone
Language: Spanish
Composer: José Enrique González Medina (Mexico)
Poet: Roberto Castillo Udiarte (Mexico)
Collection: Cinco canciones tijuanenses, from El cancionero bajacaliforniano (2003–2006), version for baritone, bassoon, and piano (2023)
