Mario Abramovich, violinist and co-founder of the major sextet
Another interview I had in January 1996 was with a great violinist and co-founder of Sexteto Mayor: Mario Abramovich.
Mario was born on October 31, 1926. In our talk he tells how he started playing the violin to please his parents. But soon the duty became a passion and he practiced obsessively. For this, he was hired as a young man in the orchestra of the Teatro Colón.
At the age of 17, Mario also discovered tango, because in the 40s there were many orchestras in Buenos Aires. He had 3 idols of tango violinists: Elvino Vardaro, Enrique Francini and Enrique Camerano, each with his own style. Abramovich tells that he has played with more than forty orchestras because he was so curious about ;discover different styles.
He played the first violin in the orchestras led by Osvaldo Fresedo, Miguel Caló and Héctor Varela. And from 1973 until his death in 2004, he was the first violin of the Sexteto Mayor.
Which did not prevent him from recording with Aníbal Troilo, Juan D’Arienzo and in 1987 with Bryan Ferry.
Listen for yourselves what this legendary violinist tells us about his rich musical life.
Buy the full transcript
Major sextet
The Sexteto Mayor is a tango musical ensemble founded on 29 April l of 1973 by Luis Stazo and José Libertella, at the initiative of the latter. Characterized by its annual tours, it is the most famous tango ensemble in the world. It has received numerous awards and was the first Argentine tango ensemble to win the Latin Grammy in 2003.
In 1981 they had their first presentation of worldwide repercussion when they performed in Paris at the opening of Trottoirs de Buenos Aires. They are part of the famous show Tango Argentino, presented in 1983 in Paris and with global success on Broadway in 1985, and in dozens of cities around the world for more than a decade.
The initial integration was:
Foundation Formation (1973)
Bandoneón, arrangements and co-direction: José Libertella
Bandoneón, arrangements and co-direction : Luis Stazo
Violin: Fernando Suárez Paz
Violin: Reynaldo Nichele
Piano: Armando Cupo
Double Bass: Omar Murtagh