HOMENAJE A FEDERICO GARCÍA LORCA ·

Work information Autograph (3) Sketches (3) Instrumental parts (11) Other versions (3) Others

Instrumental genre Music for small orchestra
Place of composition
Mexico City
Date of composition
1936. The manuscript provides dates for each of the “Three Pieces.” However, they don’t coincide with the order they were given in the work entitled Homage to Federico García Lorca: “Son” (October 12), “Dance” (October 16); and “Requiem” (November 1).
Dedication
In the original manuscript, the second movement is entitled “Duelo por la muerte de Federico García Lorca” (Mourning in memory of Federico García Lorca,) while the third (“Son”) is dedicated to LEAR (League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists). In the revised version (1937?), the “Dance” is dedicated to Luis Córdova, the “Requiem to García Lorca” to Raúl Martínez Ostos, and “Son” to José Mancisidor.
Premiere
November 14, 1936 (under the title “Three Pieces for Ten Instruments”), Palace of Fine Arts, Cond. Silvestre Revueltas, in the context of an event organized by the League of Revolutionary Writers and Artists (LEAR), the Spanish Popular Front, and Communist Youth of Mexico.
Duration
11’
Instrumentation
Picc, cl[E♭]/ 2tpt, tbn, tba / xyl, perc / pf / (2)vn I, (2)vn II, cb
Documentary archive
The manuscript for the original 1936 version still remains, corresponding to the premiere in Mexico and its publication by the Southern Music Publishing Co. The composer apparently revised his score before or during his trip to Spain in 1937. The instrumental parts found (done by two different copyists) pertain to this revised version. In it, the composer conserves the original dates of composition, meaning that this score can be taken as a revision rather than a different version of the work.
Periodical references
Marinello, Juan. “Silvestre Revueltas y Federico García Lorca.” El Gallo Ilustrado, supplement of El Día (September 22, 1974).
Publications
Southern Music Publishing Co., published under the title Homage to Federico García Lorca. There is an edition without information as to publisher or date of publication, apparently published in Mexico during the composer’s lifetime. The UNAM’s critical edition of the work recovers the revised version done by the composer.