TED: Poetry, music and identity | Jorge Drexler

Jorge Drexler shares his experience of being inspired by Joaquín Sabina to write a song using the Décima form, a complex Spanish poetic structure. He explores the historical and cultural journey of Décimas from Spain to Latin America, highlighting its adaptation in various countries. Jorge reflects on his personal connection to the song's themes, influenced by his mixed cultural background and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He discusses the global influences on music and identity, culminating in a performance of 'The Milonga of the Jewish Moor.'

Who originally wrote the lines that Joaquín Sabina gave to the speaker?

• Chicho Sánchez Ferlosio

• Joaquín Sabina

• Vicente Espinel

• Astor Piazzolla

What is a Décima?

• A musical instrument from Germany

• A type of Spanish guitar

• A traditional Uruguayan dance

• A 10-line Spanish verse form

Who invented the Décima?

• Vicente Espinel

• Chicho Sánchez Ferlosio

• Joaquín Sabina

• Astor Piazzolla

What inspired the speaker's song in the Décima form?

• A trip to Africa

• A concert in Uruguay

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict

• A meeting with Vicente Espinel

What type of music did the speaker choose for his song?

• Milonga

• Klezmer

• Tango

• Son Jarocho

What rhythmic pattern is characteristic of the milonga?

• 2-2-3

• 4-4-2

• 3-3-2

• 5-5-1

Which instrument did Vicente Espinel contribute to?

• Bandoneon

• Spanish guitar

• Violin

• Piano

What does the speaker learn about identity?

• It is unchanging over time

• It is purely cultural

• It is infinitely dense and complex

• It is simple and straightforward

What realization does the speaker have about cultural purity?

• It is an achievable goal

• It is only apparent from a distance

• It is the essence of identity

• It is irrelevant to music

What is the main theme of 'The milonga of the Jewish Moor'?

• The beauty of nature

• The complexity of identity and conflict

• The history of the Décima

• The origins of the milonga