Milonga (music)

Milonga is a musical genre that originated in the Río de la Plata areas of Argentina, Uruguay, and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is considered a precursor of the tango, and may or may not be vocal. "Milonga is an excited habanera." The original habanera divided into four pulses, in a standard two-four where every note was stressed. In becoming milonga, though, all four notes turned strong, as tempo was doubled. The strength of the first beat weakened the fourth giving an almost waltz-like feel to milonga: one-two-three (four), one-two-three (four). Habanera is a slower, more explicit sounding one, two, three-four. At least one modern tango pianist believes the polka influenced the speeding up of the milonga. According to milonga composer and one of the most famous payadores of his time, Gabino Ezeiza, the milonga derives from various African rhythms such as candombe, and Argentine milonga was particularly popular among Afro-Argentines in Buenos Aires at the turn of the 20th century. Over time, dance steps and other musical influences were added, eventually contributing to the creation of tango.