RAFAEL DE LEÓN: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

Rafael de León y Arias de Saavedra (1908-1982) was a Spanish poet, member of the Generation of 27, who also stood out for writing poetry or poetry songs. He was related to the Spanish monarchy through noble titles, such as that of the VII Marquis del Moscoso.

The poetic work of Rafael was linked to the verses, in addition his poetry was influenced by Federico García Lorca, with the characteristics of the gypsy ballads. The poet was late in his verses, his first book was published in 1941, with the title Pena y joy del amor.

Rafael de León. Source: Geriarto, via Wikimedia Commons

In the field of verses and song lyrics, Rafael de León made several collaborations with artists. Singers of the stature of Rocío Dúrcal, Raphael, Nino Bravo and Isabel Pantoja interpreted her writings. However, many scholars consider him to have been a forgotten writer.

Biography

Birth and family

Rafael was born on February 6, 1908 in Seville, in the nucleus of a wealthy family and the Spanish aristocracy. His parents were José de León y Manjón, landowner and VII Marquis of Valle de la Reina, and María Justa Arias de Saavedra, VI Marquise del Moscoso and VII Countess of Gómara.

Education of Rafael de León

Rafael de León received a privileged education. In 1916, when he was eight years old, he began to study as a boarding student at the San Luis Gonzaga school, run by the Jesuits. There he related to the writer and poet Rafael Alberti, later he studied at the San Estanislao de Kostka, in Malaga.

After finishing high school, de León began studying law at the University of Granada. There he made friends with the poet Federico García Lorca. After completing his studies, he went to his native land, where he frequently attended popular acts in cafes and theaters.

First works as a lyricist

It was in the festive and cultural atmosphere of Seville that Rafael met the lyricist Antonio García Padilla, better known as Kola, father of the artist Carmen Sevilla. With him he wrote several songs. Furthermore, at that time, 1926, de León wrote his first song, which he titled "El saca y mete."

Two years later, the singer Custodia Romero premiered a song composed by de León, called “Manolo Reyes”. The following year he entered the military service, and in that period he wrote some lyrics for the interpreter Estrellita Castro, and he met the singer Concha Piquer.

Life in Madrid and Barcelona

Rafael moved to Madrid in 1932, motivated by Manuel Quiroga, a Sevillian musician. There she began working with him at his academy. Besides, the writer frequented the various artistic and cultural points of the Spanish capital. The following year he traveled to Barcelona to direct a new institute for musical education.

In 1933 the film El Patio Andaluz was released, whose songs were written by de León. Two years later, the musical comedy written by Rafael de León, called María de la O, in collaboration with Salvador Valverde and set to music by his friend Quiroga, was put on stage at the Poliorama Theater.

Civil war time

In 1936 his musical piece, María de la O, arrived in Madrid and was presented at the Alcázar Theater. That same year she started the show Pena gitana, with the help of Manuel Quiroga and the poet Valverde. At the time the Spanish Civil War began, Rafael was in the city of Barcelona.

The poet was arrested and taken to the Modelo prison, two causes of his capture were known. The first was due to his kinship with the nobility, and the second, due to a complaint made by the actor Juan Andreu, who alleged that Rafael was part of the Spanish phalanx.

Penalty and release

After two years in prison, in 1938, the War Council agreed to take his life. To that grief was added the death of his brother Pedro, during the battle of the Ebro. Rafael de León dedicated "Hero" to Pedro, a poem included in his book Pena y joy del amor.

Later, in 1939, the country's army entered Barcelona, ​​and freedom came for the poet, as if by reason of providence. The following year he joined the creative and artistic life, and his lyrics were present in the feature film La Dolores, released in Madrid at the Avenida cinema.

Postwar stage

As of 1940, Spain was limited by the Franco regime, little or nothing entered the country at the cultural level. However, it was the period when Spanish folklore took off, and became popular among the inhabitants. Later, little by little, other cultures entered and the same was discarded.

Raphael, artist who performed the songs of Rafael de León. Source: Cristina Cifuentes, via Wikimedia Commons

In this cultural and political context, Rafael continued creating and writing his poems and verses. In 1941 his first collection of poems, Pena y joy del amor, came out, and he also had a wide participation in the cinema through the lyrics of his songs.

Years of constant creation

The years following 1941 were one of constant creation for Rafael de León. Year after year, a work was staged or taken to the cinema where his participation as a lyricist was present. And that's how shows such as Cabalgata arose, and films like La blanca paloma.

In 1943 he suffered the death of his father. But he also published his second book, Jardín de papel, also staged the Spanish Retablo and, in 1944, Zambra and Zambra presentations. Rafael's collaborations were innumerable for more than ten years.

More shows, movies and festivals

Rafael was always active in artistic life. In 1952 he composed the lyrics for the shows El puerto de los amores and Aventuras del loving, with the collaboration of Manuel Quiroga. In that year his mother passed away, and he inherited the titles of Marquis de Moscoso and Count of Gómara.

In the following years he wrote Copla y suspiro, El patio de los luceros, Puente de coplas and Carrusel de España. In 1958, her book Romance del amor dark came to light in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay. Also, around that time, others participated in various song festivals, winning some awards.

Last years and death

The last years of Rafael's life were of intense work as a composer and creator of shows, as well as a lyricist in several films. In 1970, at the Teatro Nuevo Cómico in Madrid, Don't love me so much, and in 1975 Isabel Pantoja starred in Garlochi, with songs written by him.

Nino Bravo, singer who performed the works of Rafael León. Source: NinoRivera, via Wikimedia Commons

Two years later, under the alias of Abraham Vilor, he composed the comedy Candelas, which premiered on October 8 at the Teatro Principal in Valencia. A

Rafael de León was extinguished life on December 22, 1982, in the city of Madrid, after suffering a heart attack myocardium.

Style

Rafael de León's literary style, in terms of his poetry, was simple and precise. In addition, it was characterized by keeping the traditional and popular in force, especially everything related to Andalusian culture. From there came the influence of Federico García Lorca in terms of gypsy romances.

Rafael's songs were also poetry, on many occasions he resorted to terms or words that were not part of the Spanish language. The most frequent themes within the author's literary work were traditions, love, joy, festivals and sometimes sadness.

Verses and meter

Rafael de León put into practice in some of his stanzas the use of octosyllabic verses within the type of romances. However, the Seguidillas, couplets and redondillas were also present. In addition, his rhyme was high-pitched, and in some cases white.

Plays

Poetry

- Pain and joy of love (1941).

- Garden of paper (1943).

- Romance of dark love (1958).

Collaborations

- Manolo Reyes (1928). Song with music by Manuel Quiroga.

- María de la O (1931). It was a song under the collaboration of Salvador Valverde and Manuel Quiroga, in that same year the film based on those lyrics was released. In 1935 the comic play, written by de León, was released.

- Gypsy penalty (1936). Show carried out with the collaboration of Manuel Quiroga and Salvador Valverde.

Isabel Pantoja, artist who interpreted the songs of Rafael León. Source: Carlos Delgado, via Wikimedia Commons

- La Dolores (1940). Spanish film, with songs written by Rafael de León.

- Cavalcade: Spanish songs and dances by Mari Paz (1942). Show created by de León, with music by Manuel Quiroga.

- Solera de España and Spanish Altarpiece (1943). Show with music by Quiroga, and collaboration of Antonio Quintero.

- Zambra 1946, Bronze y oro, Coplas, Bulería, Romería 1946 and Proclamation of the fair (1946). Shows developed with Antonio Quintero, with music by Manuel Quiroga.

- María Antonia Fernández La Caramba, A Cuban in Spain and Tercio de Quites (1951). Films whose songs he wrote in collaboration with Antonio Quintero and Manuel Quiroga.

- La guapa de Cádiz and La cantaora (1964). Shows with the collaborations of Manuel Quiroga and Andrés Molina-Moles.

- Garlochi (1975). It was an event starring the Spanish singer Isabel Pantoja, and that Rafael de León performed together with the musicalization of maestro Juan Solano.

Also noteworthy were the lyrics he wrote with Antonio García alias Kola, such as: Coplas, Arturo, Cinelandia, Cine Sonoro, La Wanted, Siempre Sevilla. Rafael de León's work in the world of lyrics and songs was innumerable.

References

1. Rafael de León. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Soto, J. (2018). Life and work of Rafael de León. (N / a): R de L. Retrieved from: erredeele.blogspot.com.
3. Rafael de León. (2019). Spain: Spain is Culture. Recovered from: españaescultura.es.
4. Rafael de León and Arias Saavedra. (S. f.). Cuba: Ecu Red. Recovered from: ecured.cu.
5. Rafael de León Arias de Saavedra. (2019). Spain: Royal Academy of History. Recovered from: dbe.rah.es.