LORCA AND COHEN: TAKE THIS WALTZ

1. LORCA AND COHEN: TAKE THIS WALTZ

2. FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA (1898-1936) • 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 (BloodWedding) , 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Listen to this song:

7. En Viena hay diez muchachas,un hombro donde solloza la muertey un bosque de palomas disecadas.Hay un fragmento de la mañanaen 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 coñacque 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 lunay en la danza que sueña la tortuga. ¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!Toma este vals de quebrada cintura. En Viena hay cuatro espejosdonde juegan tu boca y los ecos.Hay una muerte para pianoque 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 Hungríapor los rumores de la tarde tibia,viendo ovejas y lirios de nievepor el silencio oscuro de tu frente. ¡Ay, ay, ay, ay!Toma este vals, este vals del "Te quiero siempre". En Viena bailaré contigocon un disfraz que tengacabeza 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 andarquiero, amor mío, amor mío, dejar,violín y sepulcro, las cintas del vals. AND NOW READ THIS POEM:

8. Do they have something in common?

9. LET’S CREATE A POEM • Brainstorm of ideas: • What words does this picture bring • to your mind? • In groups of 3, propose rhymes for • these words. • All the class together: Try to create • a poem making sentences containing • the initially proposed words and the • rhyming ones. • Would you like to put music to this • poem and illustrate it?