Epitafio a un Pájaro | Garcia Lorca poem set by Frank A. Wallace

Epitafio a un Pájaro was written in the memory of Linda Marsella, co-founder of the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough NH with David Blair. I had been incubating an idea for over three years to write a composition in honor of Linda, who died at a tragically young age in 2007. It is my thank you to the Museum for all their support of Duo LiveOak and of the southern NH community in general. “Epitafio a un pajaro” (Epitaph for a Bird) is a song based on a poem by Federico Garcia Lorca. It concludes with “And this night I will send / to cover your body / an enormous butterfly / of my only kiss. Memento!” Lorca was a favorite of Linda’s and this poem was read at her memorial service on 07/07/07. Linda dreamed of a peaceful and connected world and wanted to bring the world to New England’s doorstep by providing extraordinary programs and celebrations of world cultures.

The central image of the poem is the bird that has died. The flute, of course, is the bird and carries on a dialogue with the singer who tells it she will be laid to rest on a bed of chrysanthemum and asks it to give greetings to her little brother who is already in Limbo. The poem ends with the symbol of the butterfly as a shroud. Linda identified with the butterfly – hence the Museum’s name. The three sections weave together various musical themes that are built on the names of both the poet Lorca and the honoree Linda. Both diatonic and chromatic versions of their names were created, as well as harmonic and melodic versions. The result has given me inspiration for five pieces now: Epitafio a un Pájaro; Sombra para mis Gritos; La Perla del Pico; and recently a piece for narrator and guitar for Lynn McGrath, De la Muerte Oscura, and finally Un Establo de Oro.