Django's Classical Influences

Al Watsky

Villa Lobos was well known in Paris in the 20's and later. He wrote ,many pieces for solo guitar and I believe that our hero DR was influenced by that as well. The use of harmony as as static transposable voicings , is explored exhaustively by H. Villa Lobos . Anyone with access to a victrola had access to Villa Lobos. Its difficult for me to imagine the DR was unaware of Villa Lobos. HVL was a resident of Paris for a number of years as a performer and composer. He started his professional musical life as a cafe entertainer or so I have been told.
I've played through all the HVL material and when I first heard the DR improvisations I said to myself, Self,"DR heard the Etudes and Preludes."
No way to prove it , but thats my impression.

Rob MacKillop

I feel I agree with you, Al, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. It was all in the air at that time.