Antonio Agri
| Antonio Agri | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 5, 1932 Rosario, Santa Fe |
| Died | October 17, 1998 (aged 66) Buenos Aires |
| Nationality |
 Argentina
|
Antonio Agri (May 5, 1932 – October 17, 1998) was an Argentine violinist, composer and conductor prominent in both the tango and classical music genres.
Antonio Agri was born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1932. He was taught music locally by Dermidio Guastavino, and in 1947, he made his professional debut in Córdoba as member of a quartet. Later, in Rosario, he joined orchestras led by Julián Chera, Lincoln Garrot and José Sala. He later joined a quartet, Los poetas del Tango, and eventually led a string quintet, the Quinteto de Arcos Torres/Agri.
He later joined the Rosario Symphony Orchestra, though in 1961, Nito Farace (a violinist in the Aníbal Troilo Orchestra for decades) recommended him to Ástor Piazzolla. Piazzolla invited Agri to take part in the Quinteto Nuevo Tango, and the debut took place in April 1962. Agri later played in the Nuevo Octeto (1963), and played as sideman in well-known orchestras headed by Osvaldo Fresedo, Horacio Salgán, Mariano Mores, Alberto Caracciolo and Roberto Pansera. Piazzolla made Agri the lead violin in his 1968 musical, María de Buenos Aires, and the two continued their association in 1971 as part of the Conjunto 9, recording for RCA Records. Agri toured with the Conjunto internationally, though he left to accept a commission as a company violinist in the prestigious Teatro Colón opera house, in Buenos Aires (Agri later admitted regretting this move).
He formed his own string ensemble (violins, violas, cellos and double bass), in 1973. His Mosalini/Agri Quintet, based in Paris and co-directed by Juan José Mosalini, also featured Agri's son, Pablo, with whom the violinist often performed as a duo. He later co-founded the Nuevo Quinteto Real with pianist Horacio Salgán, bandoneonist Leopoldo Federico (later replaced by Néstor Marconi), guitarist Ubaldo De Lío, and drummers Omar Murtagh and Oscar Giunta. Among their best known albums was the 1975 anthology of the work of bandoneonist Aníbal Troilo, Suite Troileana.
...
Wikipedia