Two Lorca Songs are based on the first major work "Poema del Cante Jondo" (Poem of the Deep Song) of the famous Spanish poet Garcia Lorca. Las Seis Cuerdas was inspired by the poem's haunting melancholy. Sopranos and altos sing falling, weeping lines while underneath basses and tenors have wide guitar-like intervals. Crotalo, written for choral competition, is meant to display choral virtuosity. It is set as a flamenco: the percussive c's and t's from the repeated word "crotalo" make a rhythmical clicking like that of castanets. |