Alfredo Baldrés, born in Xátiva, Valencia, was one of the musicians who was present on Three Kings Day in 1923 at the Lorca’s house on the Acera del Casino and who participated in the puppet play. The music for the entire program was performed by Manuel de Falla (piano and harpsichord), José Gómez (violin), Alfredo Baldrés (clarinet) and José Molina (lute).
He belonged to the circle of musicians and artists of Granada in the early twentieth century, which became especially important from 1921 when Manuel de Falla settled in the city. In 1923, he was a military musician specializing in clarinet in the ‘Cordoba 10’ Regiment Band with its garrison in Granada. He did not join the municipal band until 1931, although he used to collaborate assiduously.
In 1954, when the amnesty law was applied, he rejoined the Granada Municipal Band and also worked as a teacher at the Victoria Eugenia Conservatory of Music.
The Municipal Band, created in 1916, performed then in the Paseo del Salón, as well as in festivals and official events. Francisco Alonso, the composer of Las Leandras farce, a pupil of Antonio Segura Mesa, García Lorca’s solfeggio teacher, was one of its directors. Another of Antonio Segura’s disciples, Ángel Barrios, also used to collaborate. Manuel de Falla authorized an arrangement of the Dance of the Fire written by José Montero.
In the Civil War he was one of those removed from the service through disciplinary proceedings, although he later joined the Falange. In 1938, he is director of the Blue Shirts Band. From that year onwards he resided in different capitals of Spain occupied by the rebels. In 1939, he moved to Valencia, where he conducted the Corbera del Turia Band. In 1954, when the amnesty law was applied, he rejoined the Municipal Band of Granada and also worked as a teacher at the Victoria Eugenia Conservatory of Music.
