LORCA AND COHEN:
TAKE THIS WALTZ
FEDERICO GARCIA
LORCA (1898-1936)
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Fill the gaps with the past simple of the verbs in brackets:
Federico García Lorca __________ (be born) in 1898,
in Fuente Vaqueros,Spain. His mother _____ (be) a teacher
and pianist and she _________ (train) him as a classic pianist.
Lorca's two most successful poetry collections _______ (be) Canciones (Songs) and Romancero
Gitano(The Gypsy Ballads).
Considered one of Spain's greatest poets and dramatists, Lorca ______ (go) to Madrid in 1919
where he ___________ (enter) the Residencia de Estudiantes.
There, he ________ (meet) artists Salvador Dali and Buñuel who _________ (initiate) him to surrealism. He was
influenced by flamenco and gypsy culture. In 1929 he _______ (go) to New York. His favourite
neighbourhood _____ (be) Harlem.
In the 1930s, Lorca ________ (spend) much of his time working on plays, including a folk drama
trilogy Bodas de Sangre (Blood Wedding) , Yerma and La Casa de Bernarda Alba (The House
of Bernarda Alba).
The Spanish Civil War ______ (break) out in 1936 and Lorca ______ (find) himself caught in the middle of
the conflict. He was shot without trial by supporters of General Francisco Franco in 1936, in
Granada.
LEONARD COHEN (1934)
 Put the verbs in brackets in the past simple or the present perfect:
He ________ (be born) in September 21, 1934, in a well-to-do family in Montreal, Canada.
He ______ (begin) writing and performing his own songs by the age of 15. He talks about
love, betrayal and despair. Cohen has two children, son Adam and daughter Lorca. In
2011 he _______ (receive) the Prince of Asturias award.
Cohen ________ (have) a major influence on popular culture. His use of music to get his
poetry across makes him one of the most innovative and original singer/songwriters of
his generation. He was clearly influenced but the poetry of Federico García Lorca. He
__________ (influence) countless musicians and poets. As well, his songs have been
recorded and performed by artists such as Joan Baez.
He is both a singer- songwriter and a poet-novelist. Some of his most famous songs are
Suzanne, The Sisters of Mercy, Take this Waltz and Hallelujah; and among his literary
works, we can mention Flowers for Hitler.
PRINCE OF ASTURIAS AWARDS
 The Prince of Asturias Awards (Spanish: Premios Príncipe de
Asturias) are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince
of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from
around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences,
humanities, and public affairs.
 The prize was established on 24 September 1980 by the Prince of
Asturias, heir to the throne of Spain, "to consolidate links between
the Principality and the Prince of Asturias, and to contribute to
encouraging and promoting scientific, cultural and humanistic
values that form part of mankind's universal heritage." The awards
are presented in Oviedo, the capital of the Principality of Asturias,
at a ceremony presided by Felipe, Prince of Asturias. A sculpture,
expressly created for the prize by Spanish sculptor Joan Miró, is
presented yearly to the recipients of the prize.
 How many categories are there in these prizes?
 Who is your favourite awarded?
 Look for information about him / her / it and write a short
biography.
 Propose a new category and a winner for it.
 Do you think that Lorca deserved one? Why? Explain.
Listen to this song:
AND NOW READ THIS POEM:
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En Viena hay diez muchachas,
un hombro donde solloza la muerte
y un bosque de palomas disecadas.
Hay un fragmento de la mañana
en el museo de la escarcha.
Hay un salón con mil ventanas.
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!
Toma este vals con la boca cerrada.
Este vals, este vals, este vals, este vals,
de sí, de muerte y de coñac
que moja su cola en el mar.
Te quiero, te quiero, te quiero,
con la butaca y el libro muerto,
por el melancólico pasillo,
en el oscuro desván del lirio,
en nuestra cama de la luna
y en la danza que sueña la tortuga.
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!
Toma este vals de quebrada cintura.
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En Viena hay cuatro espejos
donde juegan tu boca y los ecos.
Hay una muerte para piano
que pinta de azul a los muchachos.
Hay mendigos por los tejados,
hay frescas guirnaldas de llanto.
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!
Toma este vals que se muere en mis
brazos.
Porque te quiero, te quiero, amor mío,
en el desván donde juegan los niños,
soñando viejas luces de Hungría
por los rumores de la tarde tibia,
viendo ovejas y lirios de nieve
por el silencio oscuro de tu frente.
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!
Toma este vals, este vals del "Te quiero
siempre".
En Viena bailaré contigo
con un disfraz que tenga
cabeza de río.
¡Mira qué orillas tengo de jacintos!
Dejaré mi boca entre tus piernas,
mi alma en fotografías y azucenas,
y en las ondas oscuras de tu andar
quiero, amor mío, amor mío, dejar,
violín y sepulcro, las cintas del vals.
Do they have something in
common?
LET’S CREATE A POEM
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Brainstorm of ideas:
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What words does this picture bring
to your mind?
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In groups of 3, propose rhymes for
these words.
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All the class together: Try to create
a poem making sentences containing
the initially proposed words and the
rhyming ones.
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Would you like to put music to this
poem and illustrate it?