e was expected to be one of the most important composers of the 20s. He was born in Buenos Aires and studied music with professor Mendoza and, when he was a teenager, like other pianists of that period he started playing background music to silent movies at the Cabildo movie theater and soon thereafter he played in small outfits that appeared in cafés of the outskirts.

He gigged alongside Juan Carlos Bazán (clarinet), Luiggin Bossi (bandoneon) and Ernesto Muñecas (violin) and as well together with Bazán in a new quartet, with Alcides Palavecino and Graciano De Leone.

He arrived at the Buenos Aires downtown as pianist of a group led by Arolas, replacing Juan Marini, for a tenure at the Tabaris (Suipacha 580) and appeared thereafter at the Teatro Casino in Montevideo (Andes and Colonia), which later would be Teatro Artigas. Roberto Goyheneche (piano), Eduardo Arolas (bandoneon), Rafael Tuegols and Horacio Gomila (violins). It was in October 1918. We have the photocopy of a printed program that in 1972 Horacio Gomila gave to our dear and admired friend César Zagnoli.

Roberto Goyheneche appeared successively at the Café TVO, in Barracas as member of the Ricardo Brignolo Orchestra and at the cafés Marconi and Gambaudi in the group led by Carlos Marcucci.

In 1922, Juan Bautista Deambroggio (Bachicha) and Alejandro Michetti split with the Roberto Firpo Orchestra. The former put together the Royal's Típica Orchestra, which was lined up with Roberto Goyheneche (piano), Carlos Marcucci (bandoneon), Emilio Ferrer and José Di Clemente (violins). Di Clemente told us that the Royal's was an orchestra for show, which performed with different costumes and some of the players were quite funny. The group played at the Apolo Theater when the César Ratti’s company premiered the Manuel Romero’s sainete (one-act farce) El Rey del Cabaret in which Ignacio Corsini premiered “Patotero sentimental” in April 1922. His tenure in the outfit was very short. He was replaced by Alfonso Lacueva.

Also in 1922, the theater company led by Muiño-Alippi traveled to Spain and performed there to much acclaim. Roberto Goyheneche joined the company with other musicians –we were unable to identify that personnel-, the young female singer Celia Louzán and the vocalist Francisco Martino. Spanish records were released with the Orquesta Argentina de la Compañía Muiño-Alippi and with the singer Celia Louzán by the Odeon and Pathé labels.

On his comeback from Europe, Roberto Goyheneche put together his first orchestra and made his debut at the Las Heras and Pueyrredón plaza. He was accompanied by Enrique Pollet and Pedro Laurenz on bandoneons; Emilio Marchiano and Juan Marischi on violins; and Luis Bernstein on double bass. This aggregation played at the Café El Parque of Talcahuano and Lavalle and at the Bar Iglesias of Corrientes Street. The orchestra appeared at the opening broadcasts of Radio Cultura.

By this time the first symptoms of an illness had appeared, with intervals of recovery, but it had already spoiled his temper, what had made the friendly relationship with his partners quite difficult. During one of those temporary recoveries he was pianist of the big orchestra that Julio De Caro put together for the carnival balls at the Confitería L’Aiglón on Florida Street.

Roberto Goyheneche then formed an orchestra again, it would be the last one, along with Ricardo Luis Brignolo and Ernesto Bianchi (bandoneons), Antonio Arcieri and Marcos Larrosa (violins) and Carmelo Mutarelli (double bass).

He traveled to Córdoba, trying to recover his good health but, unfortunately, he died on April 22, 1922 of his lung illness.

Carlos Gardel recorded a touching rendition of the tango “Pobre vieja” and after the author’s death, two seminal pieces: “Pompas de jabón” and “Yo te perdono”, with lyrics by Enrique Cadícamo. Rosita Quiroga released an outstanding rendering of his “De mi barrio”and Ignacio Corsini recorded “El metejón” with words by Florencio Chiarello. The other numbers he composed and were unjustly forgotten are: “Albertito”, “Milonga”, “¿Por qué llorás?”, “Otro ambiente”, “Princesita”, “Pachito”, “Que te vaya bien”, “Rolo”, “Sin alma”, “Taborda”, “Desencanto” and “La perrera”. The last two were recorded in Spain. He wrote the chacarera “Del amor” and the waltz “Pour vous”. The latter was regarded by Orlando Del Greco as his first composition. This portrayal sketches roughly the artistic life of this interesting figure of our popular music who hardly lived twenty-seven years...

* We accept the date of death as expressed by Orlando Greco.

Excerpted from: Loriente, Horacio: Ochenta notas de Tango. Perfiles Biográficos, Ediciones de La Plaza, Montevideo 1998. Under the auspices of the Academia de Tango del Uruguay.