Lluís Llach

Lluís Llach i Grande (born May 7, 1948 in Girona, Catalonia, Spain) is a Catalan composer and songwriter.

He is one of the main representatives of "Nova cançó" (New Song), a movement of musicians and singers who defied Francisco Franco's dictatorship by singing political songs in Catalan during a time where the language, and all other cultural manifestations of Catalan identity, were opposed by the regime. Llach joined the pioneering Nova cançó group Els Setze Jutges in 1967.[1] His famous song L'estaca, first recorded in 1968,[2] about a rotten stick about to fall was clear enough as an image of the last years of the Franco dictatorship and has been taken up as an anthem for many other political conflicts.

Though partially dependent on arrangers, like Manel Camp or Carles Cases in his early works, Llach's songwriting has largely evolved from the more basic early compositions to a vastly more complex harmonic and melodic writing. Self-taught as a guitarist, Llach only strumms simple chords on guitar. As a pianist, he shows a good knowledge of the European song tradition from Schubert to Hahn with touches of Satie (Nounou) and his local epygons like Mompou and Manuel Blancafort (A la taverna del mar). Llach has used salsa piano patterns (Terra) and jazzy whole-step block modulations (El jorn dels miserables) and progressions (Cançó d'amor a la llibertat). Some early songs depicted some inspiration from Baroque dances (Laura, Jo sé, Vinyes verdes vora el mar) and ostinato chord patterns (Non, Somniem). Among his influences as singer, Llach has recognized Mahalia Jackson and Jacques Brel.

His lyrics can range from the most traditionally romantic songs, to more complex, philosophical song-cycles and also to some more ironic, politically-based compositions, with a more upbeat tempo. Sea and vitalistic attitude in face of death are two of his cherished topics. When he doesn't write the lyrics of his songs he puts music to a variety of poets, including Constantine P. Cavafy, Màrius Torres, Josep Maria de Segarra, Pere Quart and, perhaps more often than with any of the others, Miquel Martí i Pol.

Llach has occasionally performed as a classical baritone, including a series of performances of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, and has also been a wine producer. He marked his retirement as front man in music with a farewell concert in Verges (March 2007), in Baix Empordà on the Costa Brava , the village in which he grew up. Afterwards, he has performed incidental music for theatre pieces.
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