The last interview to Sebastián Piana
"Life as the reality of a mission accomplished"
by Rodolfo Barrese and Fernando Piana
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ebastián Piana, who died in Buenos Aires on July 17, 1994, at 3 PM, is in the hall of fame of the great creators of our popular music. This interview, made on June 16, 1994, at his homeplace in the neighborhood of Almagro, is a posthumous homage paid by its authors from the pages of "Desmemoria", a publication that, through one of its directors, Miguel Unamuno, had requested to the historian and journalist Rodolfo Barrese, some months before, an article about the life and the work of the lasting composer.

- Cátulo's father, finally did he add lyrics to your first milonga?
- No, no. It seems he forgot about it (laughs). He was a great friend of mine and of my father's.
- What kind of acclaim the milonga of that Buenos Aires in the 30s had?
- At the beginning not a wide acclaim, because they were unpublished. I remember that on a piano at de Casa América's radio, and for myself, I started to play "Milonga sentimental". A speaker was around the place and he asked me: «What are you playing, maestro? It's a milonga, I replied. -How nice! Why don't you hand it to Mercedes Simone?», he continued.
I answered him: «I know she is a great female singer, but I don't know her personally.» «She works here -said the good man of the radio- come one day and I shall introduce her to you». And he introduced her to me. Mercedes Simone, very kindly, listened to me attentively. I was playing a rendition of our milonga.
«Tomorrow I'm leaving for Montevideo, to work at the Solís theater. I'm going to record and listen to your music. If I like it, we shall play it. See me in a month's time.»
After that time, the surprise was enormous. The talented singer told me: "I already premiered it. When the show was over Fernán Silva Valdés came to my dressing room.»
Mercedes Simone told him that she knew me, but she didn't know Homero Manzi, author of the lyrics. «When you come back to Buenos Aires -Silva Valdés told the female singer-, from whom I repeat these textual words: Tell Piana, on my behalf, that he the milonga itself.» I repeat, these are textual words said by Silva Valdés to Mercedes Simone.
For me it is an indelible memory. I wrote to the poet to thank his encouraging concepts and, taking advantage of his enthusiasm, to suggest that he might write a lyric that I would musicalize. (I remembered "Clavel del aire", a number that Silva had written together with Filiberto). He sent me the lyrics; and I sent the music to him so that he would promote with his prestige, in Montevideo, our common feeling.
- Then who premiered "Milonga sentimental", was Mercedes Simone. And Rosita Quiroga?
- Nothing happened with dear Rosita. Manzi, finally, handed her the theme but it seemed she did not understand it well. Rosita used to sing another kind of milongas.
- When did you work as musician in the orchestra of Pedro Maffia?
- That came later. It was after the milonga was premiered in Montevideo. Subsequently it was recorded in Buenos Aires, it was the only thing that represented the new genre, an evolution from the older milonga.
- How does the story of "Milonga sentimental" go on?
- On an occasion an actor, Máximo Orsi, who worked at the theater company of revues that the maestro Arturo de Bassi led, asked to me if I should write the music for one of its country songs. As he was member of the cast, he would ask de Bassi to premiere it.
Some time later the director called me to comment this: «See, Piana, I'm going to be sincere: I liked the music, but I didn't like the lyric by Orsi.»
As I had some successful tangos ("Sobre el pucho", "Silbando"), de Bassi asked me another thing, that had to be better than what said actor had done. I introduced "Milonga sentimental" to him. The renowned director liked the idea. About it, he said: «I'm preparing a short theater sketch, in which two girls and two tough guys take part. They will answer each other with the music and the lyrics of the milonga. When we switch from Teatro Chantecler to Teatro Casino, we shall premiere it at the new revue.» The milonga was much acclaimed during the month that that revue was billed. Furthermore, it began to be known thanks to the recording by Mercedes and because it appeared in the chronicles written about the revue published on different papers. It was a pleasure for Manzi as well.

- What other singers, besides Gardel and Corsini, did you like?
- Mainly Agustín Magaldi and Ángel Vargas. Also Héctor Mauré. But I think that Carlos Gardel was unsurpassable, not only because of his voice, but also for his personality. He was unique, even though I recognize values in the rest.
- What advise would you give to the young in order to spread tango?
- Young people by themselves cannot do anything. The ones that run locals for dancing tango can help by charging a cheaper admission ticket. In the old times, by paying for a coffee you were allowed to listen to a good orchestra.
Radios and television channels ought to broadcast our city music more. When I was music teacher at elementary schools I taught tango to my pupils.
Interview made on June 16, 1994.
Published in Desmemoria Re-vista de Historia, no. 5, Buenos Aires, October-December 1994.

是我听错了吗，貌似没在视频中听到台词呀二度君