The roots of this musical instrument are from Germany. In 1834, the famous musician Carl Frederich Uhlig, presented a new type of accordion, the German Concertina. Based on this instrument, the instrument salesman, Heinrich Band, invented the Bandoneon, the bandoneon was named after him. Saxony  (Germany), was the main manufacturing location for concertinas and bandoneons.

During the mid 1800's, the bandoneon had reached other countries. Immigrants took the instruments with them, to the new world. That is how it arrived in Argentina and Buenos Aires. The Bandoneon became the sound of tango in 1900s, in the clubs of Buenos Aires. With its distinctive sound, the bandoneon became the symbol of tango music.

There were many brilliant tango musicians such were Eduardo Arolas, Anibal Troilo, Pedro Laurenz, Pedro Maffia, Lepoldo Federico, Nestor Marconi, Juan Jose Mosalini, and Dino Saluzzi. However, the man that introduced bandoneon to concert halls was Astor Piazzolla. Piazzolla dedicated his early life to tango. He had a gap in his musical career, but his classical music studies with Alberto Ginastero and Nadia Boulanger in Paris, brought him back to tango.

Even though Tango Nuevo in the beginning was not accepted by the tango dancers in Buenos Aires, it became popular over time. Today, Piazzolla is considered to be one of the biggest musicians of our period. In the beginning rejected, Piazzolla later, took the bandoneon to new heights, and made Argentine Tango eternal with more than 750 compositions (concerts, operas, movies, shows).

ASTOR PIAZZOLLA - 3/11/1921 - 7/4/1992

Piazzolla revolutionized tango with his elements of tango,classical music and jazz. Some say his music is not easily classifiable. His tango nuevo at first angried his home country of Argentina. His unique style brought attention to the world. But it was not until 2002 that his music exploded with popularity.
Born in Mar del Plata in 1921, Piazzolla was of Italian background. His family moved to New York into the "Little Italy" neighborhood. His father bought him his first bandoneon, but Piazzolla whose childhood friends were Rocky Graziano and Jake La Motta wanted to become a boxer. After coming out on the losing end, he felt the sport gave his a toughness to survive in the music world and change the tango. Piazzolla then began playing classical pieces.
In 1936, his family moved back to Argentina and he began playing in tango orchestras. In 1939, he joined Anibal Troilo's orchestra. In 1946, he formed his own group, which won him first prize in a competition in America but tango audiences were not receptive.
He sought out Nadia Boulanger in Paris, a french composition teacher of the century, she listened to his "new tangos" and said "That is Piazzolla!" He took her advice and starter writing tangos that made him famous.
Argentine's were still not receptive to his music. Piazzolla moved back to New York in 1958. He wrote one of his most famous pieces in honor of his father "Adios Nonino" Nonino was his father's nickname.
Piazzolla moved back to Buenos Aires in 1958 and kept writing new pieces like "Libertango" and the tango counterpart of Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" - "Invierno Porteno", "Verano Porteno", "Otono Porteno", and "Primavera Porteno".
Piazzolla died in 1992 but his popularity continues to grow.