Ignacio Corsini

Andrea "Ignacio" Corsini (February 13, 1891 – July 26, 1967) was an

Life and work

Andrea Corsini, such his real name, was born in Troina, a village in the Enna Province of Sicily, in 1891. He was foster son of Soccorza Salomone. Ms. Salomone left Italy for Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1901, and settled in the middle-class Almagro section of the city. They settled in Carlos Tejedor, then a small pampas town where Corsini would spend the remainder of his childhood, finding work as an ox cart driver and herdsman.^[1]

Corsini returned in 1907 to the Almagro section of Buenos Aires, where he was influenced by folk singer

Corsini also earned renown as a tango vocalist, however. Initially avoiding the genre, he included one tango piece, "Un lamento," in a 1920 album. Well received, this recording would remain his sole foray into tango until, in 1922, he was persuaded to premiere "Patotero sentimental" in a sainete (stage comedy), "El bailarín del cabaret." Corsini secured his standing in the world of tango by popularizing Juan de Dios Filiberto's soulful milonga, "Caminito," in 1927. Written as an ode to what was then an oft-used shortcut in the blue-collar La Boca section of Buenos Aires, "Caminito" remains one of the most recognizable Argentine songs of any genre.^[1]

"El Caballero Cantor"—the "gentleman singer," as he was known by then—Corsini was also a composer and lyricist of numerous tangos, such as, among others, "Flor marchita," and "Aquel cantor de mi pueblo" (music by guitarist Enrique Maciel). The latter was immortalized by Corsini's one-time film co-star, Edmundo Rivero. He also composed in other genres, writing folklore pieces (such as "Tradición gaucha" and "A mi palomita"), and a waltz: "Tristeza criolla," based on a poem by Julián de Charras.

A 1929 songbook written as an ode to the era of 19th century strongman

These successes were dealt a bitter turn by the death of his wife Victoria, on May 28, 1949, following which he retired as a performer. Corsini penned his memoirs the following year, in which he wrote that "in her I found the great partner of all my life, who encouraged me in my uncertain hours and to whom I owe a great part of my success" (the autobiography was never published).[1]

Corsini reappeared in 1961 for a Channel 7 special, "Volver a vivir" ("To Live Again"). This would be his last public performance, however, and on July 26, 1967, the 'gentleman singer' died at age 76.

References