Cancion Del Amor Triste Lecuona

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Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School
2011
Cinco Canciones con Versos de Juana de

Ibarbourou: The Art Song Style of Ernesto
Lecuona
Christina Diane Villaverde
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THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF MUSIC
CINCO CANCIONES CON VERSOS DE JUANA DE IBARBOUROU:
THE ART SONG STYLE OF ERNESTO LECUONA
By
CHRISTINA DIANE VILLAVERDE
A Treatise submitted to the

College of Music
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Music
Degree Awarded:
Fall Semester, 2011
Christina Diane Villaverde defended this treatise on October 21, 2011.
The members of the supervisory committee were:
Stanford Olsen
Professor Directing Treatise
André Thomas
University Representative
Douglas Fisher
Committee Member
Marcía Porter
Committee Member
The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and
certifies that the treatise has been approved in accordance with university requirements.
ii
I would like to dedicate this treatise to my family, especially to my mother Diane,
departed Grandmother Ramona, my husband Christian, my brother Ryan and my dear friend
Angel.
Mom, you have always been my source of strength, always encouraging me to work
harder and believe in the gift I was given. I could never have completed this degree without you,
now we both are doctors! Abuela, I chose this topic to honor our Cuban heritage, I will always
remember the times sitting next to you at the piano listening to the songs of Lecuona. To my
dear brother Ryan, we have held each other up all these years, encouraging one another to
believe in our music and now look at how far we’ve come! To my dear friend Angel, thank you
for sharing these songs of Lecuona with me. Through your gifts as a pianist and composer you
have taught me to better understand my Cuban heritage through your “Cuba!”
Last, but not least, to my husband Christian, thank you for all the months of “tolerance”
as I toiled through the research and for sharing your passion of Cuban music. You were always
there with excellent editing skills, translation help, Cuban history lessons, shoulder rubs and the
much needed cups of “café con leche.” Thank you for your love and support.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to a select group of people who helped bring
this treatise to fruition and have inspired me to preserve the music of Ernesto Lecuona.
I would like to first acknowledge Stanford Olsen for being one of the greatest mentors in
my career and for his willingness to serve as the director of my treatise. Because of his
instruction, encouragement and tough love, I have become the performer and educator that I am
today. Equally, I would like to express my appreciation for Jana and Russell Young who were
the first to introduce me to singing and who have supported me from my early teenage years
showing me the world that lay ahead. They will always be my lifelong teachers.
I would like to thank Douglas Fisher, Marcía Porter and André Thomas for also serving
on my committee and for their collective guidance, encouragement and support throughout my
years at Florida State University. Equally, I would like to thank Jane Clendinning for her
willingness to answer any questions I had concerning interviews I conducted during my research;
to Larry Gerber and Alexander Jiménez for your support and love of Cuban song. To Bianca
Lupsha, Javier Abreu and Edward Rothmel for hours of conversations about the music, years of
friendship, patience and many wonderful shared performances and recitals.
To Fernando Lecuona, thank you for all of your efforts and everything I came to learn
about your Uncle Ernesto. I can never truly express to you how grateful I am for all of the talks,
photos, emails, letters and documents you shared with me. You are the sole reason why this
paper has become a reality. I would also like to thank Mike Mann and Bruce Davis, without
your willingness to help me locate Fernando, this paper might never have been finished.
I would like to thank Evan Hause of Carlin America, Inc. for his kindness and assistance
with my research and for copyright privileges; to Carole Farley for her willingness to assist me
throughout my research process and to Libby Larsen for her support of my career and interest in
my treatise. Special thanks to Dean Gibson, Dean Beckman, Meghan McCaskill, Lauren Smith
Tony Daniels and Dee Beggarly for your years of support and friendship.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Compositions Cited………………………………………………………………………… vi
List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………… vii
Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………….. .x
1. ORIGINS OF MUSIC IN CUBA………………………………………………………. 1
2. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ERNESTO LECUONA……………………………... 5
3. MUSICAL GENRES IN LECUONA‟S SONGS………………………………………. 19
4. JUANA DE IBARBOUROU…………………………………………………………… 17
5. CINCO CANCIONES CON VERSOS DE JUANA DE IBARBOUROU……………….. 20
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………. 41
APPENDIX A ………………………………………………………………………………42
Lyrics and Translations
APPENDIX B ………………………………………………………………………………46
Phonetic Transcription (IPA)
APPENDIX C ……………………………………………………………………………... 51
Original Manuscript Excerpts
APPENDIX D ……………………………………………………………………………... 68
Transcription of live interview: Fernando Lecuona-nephew of Ernesto Lecuona.
APPENDIX E ……………………………………………………………………………... 86
Releases
BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………………. 92
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR………………………………………… 94
v
COMPOSITIONS CITED
The compositions below are that of Ernesto Lecuona and his sister Ernestina Lecuona,
and are the copyright of Edward B. Marks Music Corporation, a subsidiary of Carlin America,
Inc. The mm. cited below are used within the treatise by permission:
I. Songs (Ernesto Lecuona)
1. La comparsa, 1-20
2. Malagueña, 27-32
3. ¿Me odias? (Ernestina Lecuona), 1-19
4. Mi amor fue una flor, 1-5
5. Noche azul, 1-6
II. Piano (arr. by Thomas Tirino)
1. Vals maravilloso, 78-82
The following compositions are the property of the Lecuona Music Co.; the mm. cited below are
used within the treatise with permission from the Lecuona Estate:
III. Art Songs (Ernesto Lecuona)
Cinco canciones con versos de Juana de Ibarbourou

1. Canción del amor triste, 1-15, 20-23, 24-34, 53-70, 71-90
2. Quiero ser hombre, 1-20, 21-41, 48-62
3. Señor jardinero, 1-11, 15-23, 33-36
4. La señora luna, 1-20, 30-34
5. Balada de amor, 1-14, 15-26, 28-41, 45-53
vi
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Photo of Lecuona, the Composer at Work c. 1930 3
Figure 2 Photo of Lecuona, album publicity of Lecuona playing his songs, 10

c. 1935
Figure 3 Ernesto Lecuona, “Malagueña,” mm. 27-32 (Example of Spanish 11

Influence)
Figure 4 Example of a cinquillo rhythm 12
Figure 5 Ernesto Lecuona, “Noche Azul,” mm. 1-6 13
Figure 6 Example of “Cuban Habanera” rhythm 13
Figure 7 Ernestina Lecuona, “¿Me odias?” mm. 1-19 14
Figure 8 Ernesto Lecuona, “Mi amor fue una flor,” mm. 1-5 15
Figure 9 Ernesto Lecuona, “La comparsa,” mm. 1-20 16
Figure 10 Photo of the poet, Juana de Ibarbourou, c. 1920 18
Figure 11 “Death toll motive,” m.1 21
Figure 12 “Wind motive,” mm. 6-8 21
Figure 13 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 9-14 23
Figure 16 “Bird motive” 24
Figure 20 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 78 26
Figure 21 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 79 26
vii
Figure 23 “Man motive,” mm. 1-3 28
Figure 24 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 8-14 29
Figure 27 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” m. 39 31
Figure 29 “Child motive” 32
Figure 30 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 3-5 32
Figure 31 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 8-17 33
Figure 32 “Sigh motive” 34
Figure 33 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” mm. 22-23 35
Figure 34 Ernesto Lecuona, “Vals maravilloso,” mm. 78-82 35
Figure 35 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” m.9 36
Figure 36 “Wedding motive” 36
Figure 37 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” m.18-25 37
Figure 38 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” mm. 33-34 38
Figure 39 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 3 39
Figure 42 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 16-20 41
viii
Figure 45 “Tear motive” 42
Figure 48 Photo of Fernando Lecuona and Christina Diane Villaverde 94

in his Florida home, June 24th, 2011
ix
ABSTRACT
Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) is regarded as one of the most important Cuban musicians
of the twentieth century, and one of the most prolific composers within Latin America. His
piano skills were equal to that of Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), his popularity compared to
George Gershwin (1898-1937) and his compositional output rivaled that of Franz Schubert
(1797-1828). Born in Guanabacoa, a suburb of Havana, Cuba, Lecuona began his piano studies
at an early age, first with his sister Ernestina and then with Dutch born pianist and composer
Hubert de Blanck (1856-1932). He completed his compositional training with Joaquín Nin
(1879-1949) and Maurice Ravel (1875-1937).
Although Lecuona is known to have composed more than 600 works, very little is known
about his art song output. This treatise focuses on his success as a canción (song) composer,
highlighting the five art songs that comprise his cycle Cinco canciones con versos de Juana de
Ibarbourou (Five Songs with Verses by Juana de Ibarbourou). His creative and successful
setting of Juana de Ibarbourou‟s prose and poetry writings within the cycle along with musical
characteristics of the German Lied found within the songs, show his abilities as an art song
composer.
In support of these statements, I compared a sampling of Lecuona‟s works within his
piano, vocal, theatrical and orchestral repertoire and consulted various sources on the composer.
These included primarily the book titled Ernesto Lecuona: the Genius and his Music; the
Dissertation The Life and Music of Ernesto Lecuona as well a live interview with Ernesto
Lecuona‟s oldest living relative, his nephew Fernando Lecuona.
x
CHAPTER 1: ORIGINS OF MUSIC IN CUBA
The music of Cuba, including its instruments, dances, rhythms and themes can best be
described as an amalgamation of European (mostly Spanish) and African influence. Unlike most
other Latin-American countries colonized by the Spanish, Cuba‟s indigenous population was
almost entirely annihilated, and if any remnants of its music was or is reflected in Cuba‟s, it is
impossible to discern.1 As such, the cultural void left behind by the disappearance of Cuba‟s
indigenous people was largely filled by African slaves and the Spaniards who brought them to
Cuba. Eventually these two cultures integrated, and the musical fusion of Spanish melodic
instruments (such as the guitar) and the African drum established the basis for most genres of
Cuban music thereafter.
Some of these genres stylistically border more on the Spanish, some are more African,
and others are blend of both influences. The zapateo, an Andalusian influenced dance, remains
the typical dance of the peasants and is accompanied by the tiple, (an instrument similar to the
guitar with three double strings) and the güiro (a hollowed-out dried squash). The clave, a form
within the Afro-Cuban tradition, is a composition that is performed by a small choral group
accompanied by rhythmic instruments, such as the drums, rattles and claves.2 Within the more
blended group, we have the contradanza, son, bolero, criolla, guaracha and pregón; some of
which will be discussed in further detail in Chapter 3.
Due to the subject of this treatise, it is important to discuss at length another category of
Spanish influence, the Cuban canción (song), which comprises all compositions written for solo
singing, and excludes those that are purely for dance. The canción is an advanced stage of
artistic development and does not fall within the scope of popular music. Instead, it closely
resembles the nineteenth century German Romantic Lied in its classical sense. The influence of
German composers is seen within the music through the lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, use of
chromaticism, use of motives, expanded harmonic language and the use of poetry for the text.
Some of the early Cuban compositions used the poetry of Heinrich Heine (1797-1856) for the
text.
Cuban composer and concert pianist Jose Manuel (Lico) Jiménez (1851-1917) was the
first of the Cuban composers who is credited with embracing the Lied. He completed his
1
Emilio Grenet, Popular Cuban Music (Havana: Republic of Cuba, 1929), X.
2
Emilio Grenet, XXII.
1
musical studies in composition and piano performance at the Leipzig Conservatory (Germany) in
1859. Violinist, pianist, organist and composer Jose Mauri Esteve (1855-1937) composed
chamber music, sacred song, opera and piano compositions. His Lied composition, Rosas y
violetas, uses the poetry of Heinrich Heine in translation for the text. Guillermo Tomás (1868-
1933), was an important composer and conductor who was heavily influenced by German
operatic styles, primarily those of Strauss and Wagner.3 These composers adopted the
established European song forms of the late nineteenth century, specifically of the German
romantic Lied composers, including Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf. 4
No particular Cuban composer has been credited as having written solely within the Lied
or cancíon genre; however Lecuona, having written more than 400 songs for solo voice, was one
of the most successful. Although Lecuona masterfully composed music in various genres, it is
his art songs that were mainly influenced by the artistically elevated 19th century Cuban canción.
Lecuona used the historical base of the German and Cuban composers that preceded him
and infused his own personal style, incorporating many of the local Cuban dance rhythms such
as the bolero and criolla to create his own unique style of canciones. He utilized texts of
important Ibero-American poets such as José Martí (1853-1895), Juana de Ibarbourou (1892-
1979), Juan Clemente Zeana (1832-1871), Alvaro Suárez, José Angel Buesa and occasionally
those of the German poet, Heinrich Heine.
In several instances Lecuona wrote his own poetry for his art songs. “His texts reflected
the passion, hate, bitterness, melancholy of the Caribbean and tropical emotions in issues of love,
sensuality, and the vehemence of a history truly lived and embodied in a song. His theme can be
grouped into „amatory songs.‟” 5
Nick Strimple, Choral Music in the 20th Century (New Jersey, USA: Amadeus press, LLC, 2002), 205.
3
4
Ernesto Lecuona, Cancíon Cubana. Emelina López, Alberto Joy (Piccolo Tif. 918515420-609559356, 1995.
Compact disc)
5
Ernesto Lecuona, Cancíon Cubana.
2
Photo of Lecuona, the Composer at work c. 1930
Figure 1
3
CHAPTER 2: BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ERNESTO LECUONA
On August 6, 1895, Ernesto Lecuona Casado was born in Guanabacoa, Cuba to a Cuban
mother and Spanish father. He was born during a period of extreme political turmoil, as his birth
was in the same year that Cuba was seeking to gain independence from Spain.6 As the seventh
and last child of the Lecuona family, he would only know his father until the age of seven, due to
the father‟s untimely death. Ernesto Lecuona was a child prodigy in piano performance and
composition and went on to become one of Cuba‟s most prolific composers. He was greatly
revered within Latin America as a composer and is still referred to as the “Cuban Gershwin.”7
Lecuona died while on vacation on November 29, 1963 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary
Islands, Spain.
Family Background
In order to understand Lecuona‟s gifts, it is important to discuss the history of his parents.
Ernesto Lecuona Ramos, father of the composer, was born in 1834 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife,
Canary Islands. He was a medical student who later turned to journalism, first as a writer for the
Canary Islands Press and later as the director of the newspaper El Sol de Nivaria. He immigrated
to Cuba in 1860 with his sister Carmen and settled in the city of Matanzas where Cuban culture
was most prevalent. It was a time of prosperity for this region as here there were three political
jurisdictions from which sixty percent of Cuba‟s sugar was exported, as well as a growing
intellectual movement. Matanzas from then on would be known as The Athens of Matanzas,
Cuba, where Ernesto Lecuona Ramos would thrive almost immediately as he was hired by the
most prestigious Cuban newspaper at the time, La Aurora de Yumurí. By the 1870‟s he would
become director of this and other newspapers in the city.8
It was here in the city of Matanzas where he met a young lady named Elisa de la Caridad
Casado Bernal. They were married at the Church of Versailles on November 7, 1885, she was
6
Control of the island was then given to the United States in 1898 pursuant to the Treaty of Paris following the
Spanish-American War, which eventually led to formal Cuban independence in 1902. Cuba‟s fragile democracy
would only last until 1952 when former democratically-elected president Fulgencio Batista staged a coup and ruled
for seven years, opening the door to Fidel Castro and the formal control of his totalitarian Communist regime in
1959.
7
Lawrence A. Johnson, “Rediscovering the „Cuban Gershwin.‟” Sun Sentinel (July 15, 2001).
8
Rafael A. Lecuona, Ernesto Lecuona: the Genius and his Music (Spain: R.A. Lecuona Enterprises, 2004), 60.
5
twenty-three and he was fifty-one years old. Ernesto and Elisa had seven children: Luis E.
Lecuona Casado, José Lecuona Casado, Elisa Lecuona Casado, Ernestina Lecuona Casado,
Fernando Lecuona Casado, Teodoro Lecuona Casado and Ernesto Lecuona Casado (the subject
of this treatise).
Elisa was a devoted wife, mother and patriot. Even though her husband was a Spaniard,
she never concealed her commitment to the revolution that sought independence from Spain.
She was known to wave the Cuban flag in front of their home when her husband‟s Spanish
friends came to visit and would secretly contribute to the independence movement financially,
when she was able.9
In 1902 Ernesto Lecuona Ramos decided to return to his homeland at the age of sixty-
seven in an attempt to restore his failing health. Just eight days after arriving, he died of a heart
attack. Even though he passed away when Ernesto was only seven years old, he was able to see
the beginnings of his son‟s artistic and musical training under the early tutelage of his older
sisters Elisa and Ernestina.10
Appearance and Lifestyle
Jacobson describes Lecuona as having been:
Six feet tall and large framed, the composer carried his stature with dignity and natural grace.
His hair, jet black, was always immaculately kept. But by far the most attractive feature of
Lecuona was his large dark eyes. With a melancholy stare they always appeared to transcend
the immediate object in front of him and focus on some distant place no one else could see.
His wonderful smile would brighten his face which, as described by his friends, always carried
an expression that seemed to ask, “What smells here?”11
His nephew Fernando described Lecuona as a charming man, not concerned with politics
and always very generous with his time and money. He would invest his money in artists who
had promising careers. Whether they made money or not, all expenses were paid by Ernesto.12
Fernando went on to describe his uncle and his idiosyncrasies:
During the week he would only be in his underwear, because he didn‟t like to be in pants… Since
he was always out in public, he had to dress up and he was upset about having to always wear a
coat and tie, so generally whenever I would take someone to visit him, I would have them wait so
I could warn Ernesto that there was company so he could dress up. He would then tell them to
9
Gloria Castiel Jacobson, The Life and Music of Ernesto Lecuona (Gainesville, FL: University
of Florida, 1982), 16.
10
Lecuona, 64.
11
Jacobson, 25.
12
Fernando Lecuona interview, June 24, 2011.
6
come in, but otherwise, he would always be in his underwear. It was baggy underwear. It would
make me laugh.13
Lecuona lived an exciting and diverse life; he would travel the world, perform at some of
the most important venues, entertain kings and queens, famous actors, singers and composers
and return home to Cuba to tend to his “small zoo”, where he raised pigs, deer, poultry, fish and
an assortment of other creatures.14 He loved to collect antiques; he would store the smaller
pieces in his Chinese chest of drawers.
He never learned to speak English, but always had a host of people around him willing to
translate or assist whenever he needed it. He was a relatively quiet man and would keep his
comments to himself, or share them under his breath. He would host grand parties at his ranch,
La Comparsa, in Havana, much like a Cuban Jay Gatsby.15 He was also a heavy smoker, which
would eventually be the cause of his untimely death.
Musical Training
All seven children in the Lecuona family were musically gifted, most especially his sister
Ernestina, who was an accomplished pianist and composer; she gave Lecuona his first piano
lessons. He gave his first public recital at the age of five and enrolled at the age of nine in the
Peyrellade Conservatory. There he continued his piano studies with Antonio Saavedra, a student
of Igancio Cervantes (1847-1905) and Joaquín Nin (1883-1950). “By eleven he had written
Cuba y América, which later entered the repertoire of Cuban military bands.” 16
At age fourteen he was accepted into the Cuban National Conservatory where he studied
piano and composition with the Dutch-Cuban pianist and composer Hubert de Blanck (1856-
1932), who eagerly accepted the promising young pianist.17 Lecouna was the most successful
musician in his family and starting working about this time, as a silent film pianist in the Fedora
Theatre in Havana and as a pianist at the Moulin Rouge and Alhambra theaters.
Lecuona graduated from the Conservatory at the age of seventeen with a gold medal for
his graduation performance of Schumann‟s A Minor Piano Concerto. This was the highest award
given for piano. In 1916, at the age of twenty-one, he traveled to New York City for his
13
Fernando Lecuona interview.
14
Jacobson, 26.
15
Jay Gatsby, the titular character of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.
16
Jacobson, 17.
17
Hubert de Blanck founded the Conservatory in 1885.
7
American debut, a concert at Aeolian Hall. At this time, he was contracted by RCA Victor to
record his compositions and by Ampico Piano Co. for piano rolls.18
Influences and Friends

During an interview with Fernando Lecuona, I asked who Ernesto‟s influences were.
Below is the response:
FERNANDO LECUONA (FL):
Ernestina was the one who first influenced Ernesto. Then it was Hubert de Blanck, and later it
was Liszt and Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin.
CHRISTINA VILLAVERDE (CV):

But of those, did he know any of them personally?
FL:
Gershwin, yes, and Rachmaninoff and Paderewski, who was number one in the world, and later
became President of Poland. Rachmaninoff and Ernesto were together number two in the
world. The first was Paderewski, and the second were Rachmaninoff and Ernesto, tied. And one
time in the Sala Pleyel of Paris where Chopin and Liszt played together, Iturbi told another
pianist, whose name I don‟t recall…“we can‟t play like that, look how he (Lecuona) plays. We‟ll
never play like that.” That‟s because Ernesto could reach 14 keys in one hand.
The pianist who José Iturbi (1895-1980) was speaking to was Joaquín Nin. The concert
had been organized by Nin on June 2, 1928 in Paris to present Lecuona to a select audience.
Some of the audience members were composers Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), Joaquín Turina
(1882-1949), Alexander Gretchaninoff (1864-1956) and the Ambassador of Cuba to France—
and future Cuban president—Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Quesada (1871-1939). It was said that
at this performance Ravel blurted out the famous words “This is more than piano!!” And that
Iturbi turned to Nin and whispered “That, neither you nor I can play!” The performance at Sala
Pleyel would come a few days later accompanied by Cuban singer Lydia de Rivera. 19
Career Highlights
On October 2, 1928 after taking a month vacation with Nin and Ravel, Lecuona returned
to Cuba to give another triumphant concert, presenting for the first time George Gershwin‟s
18
Jacobson, 17.
19
Lecuona, 109.
8
Rhapsody in Blue.20 This was a special concert under the direction of another prolific and well
known Cuban composer and colleague of Lecuona‟s, Gonzalo Roig (1890-1970) along with
thirty-six additional professors from the conservatory.21 The Los Angeles Times wrote in 1933
about this historic event as Gershwin himself had been present for the performance: “Lecuona is
a prodigious technician of the piano…Modern music is favored by his capacity as a performer,
interpreting Gershwin‟s Rhapsody in Blue, as no one could play it as he does…22
Ernesto Lecuona wrote more than 600 songs for voice, piano, theatrical pieces, including
Zarzuela, orchestral works, ballet, one trio and an opera. In the 1930‟s and 1940‟s he also wrote
a great deal of film music for such companies as MGM, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox. In
1942 onf of his most popular songs, Siempre en mi corazon (Always in my heart), was
nominated for an Oscar for best song, but lost to White Christmas. Hundreds of interpretations of
his songs by such artists as Plácido Domingo, Alfredo Kraus, Xiomara Alfaro, Celia Cruz, Esther
Borja, Sandra Lopez and Tomás Tirino helped Lecuona achieve international popularity.
During his career Lecuona performed throughout South America, Central America,
Europe and the United States. Among his many accomplishments was the founding of the
Havana Symphony (with Gonzalo Roig), the Lecuona Cuban Boys Band, and the Orquestra de
La Habana.23
The Final Voyage

Lecuona returned to his father‟s homeland of Tenerife, Spain on vacation in 1963. While
there, he suffered a heart attack and dies on November 29, 1963. How ironic that he would die,
the same way and in the same place his father did and only one year older than his father had
been.
Ernesto Lecuona Casado was buried in The Gate of Heaven Cemetery, about twenty-five
miles north of New York City. “He wrote in his will that his remains would be kept there until
Cuba was again free and sovereign. His remains are then to be taken back to the land he loved
and forever interred there,”24 a wish that has yet to be fulfilled.
20
Lecouna, 110.
21
In 1931Roig composed the Cuban Zarzuela Cecilia Valdés based on the novel by Cirilio Villaverde (1812-1894).
This work is still performed today and is one of the most widely known Cuban Zarzuelas.
22
Lecouna, 111.
23
Lecuona, 96, 98.
24
Jacobson, 20.
9
Photo of Lecuona, album publicity with Lecuona playing his songs, c. 1945
Figure 2
10
CHAPTER 3: MUSICAL GENRES IN LECUONA’S SONGS
As mentioned in the early chapters, the characteristics of the genres within Cuban music
can best be described as a mixture of European (mostly Spanish) and African musical elements.
Lecuona‟s Malagueña (see figure 3) is one of his compositions that highlights the Spanish
influence within the guitar-like writing in the treble clef.
Copyright © 1928 by Edward B. Marks Music Company

Copyright Renewed
International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
Used by Permission
Figure 3 Ernesto Lecuona, “Malagueña,” mm. 27-32

(Example of Spanish influence)
11
Cuban songs can be grouped into several categories, some of which are boleros, criollas, danzas,
canciones, pregones and zarzuelas.25 Lecuona composed within all of these forms. However,
looking at the five art songs of Lecuona discussed in this treatise, only boleros, criollas, and
canciones have relevance.
The Cuban bolero during the time of Lecuona was an adaptation of the Spanish bolero.
Regardless of its origin, the bolero is one of Cuba‟s most characteristic song forms, and reflects
the “optimistic quality of the Cuban character.”26 Its original 3/4 time was changed to Cuba‟s
popular 2/4 time, which better suited the Afro-Cuban rhythms of the island.27 The Cuban bolero
is a slow-tempo song that typically begins with a brief introduction and typically makes use of
the cinquillo (see figure 4), which is a rhythmic cell:28
Figure 4 Example of a cinquillo rhythm
tresillo or triplet pattern; but more often the use of syncopated rhythms. The bolero is always
lyrical, romantic and often times playful throughout the melody and accompaniment. Lecouna‟s
Noche azul (see figure 5) is an example of a bolero with its brief two m. introduction, syncopated
rhythms and playful melodic line.
25
Jacobson, 33.
26
Emilio Grenet, XXXVIII.
27
Jacobson, 33.
28
The term cell in music refers to a small rhythmic design that can be isolated.
12
Copyright © 1929, 1941 by Edward
B. Marks Music Company
Copyright Renewed
International Copyright Secured All
Rights Reserved
Used by Permission
Figure 5 Ernesto Lecuona, “Noche azul,” mm. 1-6
Criollas (“creole song”) is a form that shows the influence of both the Spanish melody
and the African rhythm29; Lecuona is most remembered in his vocal literature for his Afro-Cuban
songs. The rhythm seen below (see figure 6) is called the “Cuban Habanera”, typically played in
the bass clef.
Figure 6 Example of “Cuban Habanera” rhythm
One of Lecuona‟s earliest influences of a criolla may have come from his sister Ernestina‟s
composition titled ¿Me odias?(see figure 7). In this piece you can clearly see a variation of the
Habanera rhythm and dense chords30, characteristics that Leucona uses within the five art songs.
29
Jacobson, 53.
Subsequent examples of Lecuona‟s songs will show the same tendency to use very dense and dramatic cords like
30
those of his sister. Note in Ernestina‟s criolla how the accompaniment always lies in a much higher range then the
voice.
13
Copyright © 1929 by Edward B. Marks Music Company.
Used by Permission.
Figure 7 Ernestina Lecuona, “¿Me odias?” mm. 1-19
The canciones group comprises a wide variety of songs written for solo singing. The
earliest songs came by way of Spain and were heavily influenced by Italian opera—highly
romantic with dramatic aspects. This dramatic writing can be seen in the accompaniment, and
within the broad range of the vocal line. The art songs discussed in the next chapter fall into this
14
category. Lecuona‟s Mi amor fue una flor (see figure 8) is an example of one of his canciones
that makes use of dramatic writing within the introduction.
Copyright © 1941 by Edward B. Marks Music Company.

Used by Permission.
Figure 8 Ernesto Lecuona, “Mi amor fue una flor,” mm. 1-5
Lecuona‟s La Comparsa (Carnival Procession) is an example of a popular canción (see figure 9)

that was composed before the five art songs. This piece was originally composed for the piano
and is a marriage of two contrasting themes: the lyrical or romantic melody with the underlying
Afro-Cuban rhythm typical in a spontaneous Carnival Procession in pre-Castro Cuba.31
31
Interview with Maria Castillo McNab, July 5, 2011.
15
Copyright © 1929, 1930 by Edward B. Marks Music
Company
Copyright Renewed
International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved
Used by Permission
Figure 9 Ernesto Lecuona, “La Comparsa,” mm. 1-20
16
CHAPTER 4: JUANA DE IBARBOUROU
Juana de Ibarbourou (1895-1979) was a Uruguayan poet born in the city of Melo. Her
maiden name was Juana Fernández Morales; at twenty years of age, she married Captain Lucas
Ibarbourou, and took his last name. At the age of twenty-six, she moved to the capital
Montevideo and lived there until her death. Her first poems appeared in newspapers, mainly
in La Razón, the capital‟s main publication. Her poems and prose writings were infused with
feminism, modernism, sensory images, Biblical, and mythical references. Ibarbourou differs
from other major female poets in Spanish America, “as her poems do not disclose those erotic
yearnings, dissatisfactions and contradictions one so readily and commonly discerns in their
piteous cries.”32 In 1929 she was proclaimed "Juana de América" in the Legislative Palace of
Uruguay.
When one reads the poetry of Juana de Ibarbourou “you read about everything that
concerns her most: love, life, death, herself…is seen and interpreted as part of nature; for nature
is the mirror that reflects her thoughts…”33 Most of Ibarbourou‟s poetry is written in free verse,
in stanzas that read as musical verses. She is considered one of the most important and
individual voices of twentieth century Latin American poetry.34
Text for the five art songs of Lecuona were taken from two of her collections. With the
exception of the second song which is found in Ibarbourou‟s Raíz salvaje (wild root), the poetry
is taken from her collection titled Dualismo, (duality). The third and fourth songs of the cycle,
Señor jardinero and La señora luna are both from Ibarbourou‟s collection of poems called Las
canciones de Natacha (the songs of Natacha). These songs were published within the Dualismo
collection as children‟s poetry. She wrote the poetry for Señor jardinero as a gift for her friend
Pedro Henríquez Ureña in honor of the birth of his daughter, Natacha.35
32
Sidonia Carmen Rosenbaum, Modern Women Poets of Spanish America: The Precursors,
Delmira Agustini, Gabriela Mistral, Alfonsina Storni, Juana de Ibarbourou (New York: Cocce Press,
1945), 255.
33
Rosenbaum, 239.
34
Rosenbaum, 239.
35
Juana de Ibarbourou, Obras Completas (Madrid: Aguilar, 1960), XLIX
17
Photo of the poet, Juana de Ibarbourou, c. 1920
Figure 10
18
CHAPTER 5: CINCO CANCIONES CON VERSOS DE JUANA DE IBARBOUROU
Introduction
Cinco canciones con versos de Juana de Ibarbourou were written in 1937. They were
published in Havana with the Lecuona Music Co. and are performed and circulated today only as
rude photocopies of the originals. Because Lecuona‟s publishing company no longer exists and
the communist party, which took control of Cuba shortly before Lecuona‟s death, is still in
power, it is impossible to know if the original copies are still in Cuba. The compositions remain
the property of the Lecuona Music Co.; the mm. and figures cited within the treatise are used
with permission from the Lecuona Estate. To date, no extensive research of the five songs has
been conducted nor published before this treatise.
Cinco canciones con versos de Juana Ibarbourou are some of the best examples of
Lecuona‟s canciones compositions. As previously mentioned, songs within this group are
composed in a highly Romantic style with dramatic aspects. Each of these five songs possess
characteristics of the Romantic style, specifically that of German Romanticism with the use of
motives, expressive melodies, complex harmonies and total synthesis of the poetry with the
music. In these songs, the voice is challenged into the highest and lowest parts of the register. It
can be argued that these pieces fall into the same “vocal league as operatic arias, but within the
expression of a Lied.” 36
The canciones sub-genre is complex, as not only is it a category that includes all
compositions written for solo voice with piano accompaniment, but the term itself means “song.”
In order to distinguish these songs as art songs it is important to place them into the subcategory
of this group and refer to them as canciones líricas (lyrical songs).
In the five art songs, Lecuona highlights some of the specific historical influences on the
Cuban canción, outside of the Spanish and African already discussed, such as Italian opera and
dance rhythms. The influence of Italian opera is clearly seen in the first song Canción del amor
triste, with the use of dense and dramatic chords, theatrical writing and a broad range of
dynamics. Lecuona's use of dance rhythms throughout the five songs, such as the bolero and
criollas, will be discussed further. Aspects of the bolero and criolla genres, such as the use of
the slow tempo, 2/4 time signature and rich melodies appear throughout the cycle.
36
Ernesto Lecuona, Cancíon Cubana, 2.
19
Because of the nature of the poetry, the songs are written to embrace the idea of duality,
with the poetry as one theme and the musical accompaniment as the other, existing
simultaneously. The songs are then best understood as being motivic in nature with specific
musical motives, contrasting keys and accompaniment elements that act as a subtext for the
poetry. This same idea of the marriage of two simultaneous themes was mentioned in Chapter 3
with the example of Lecuona‟s La Comparsa. All musical motives discussed within this treatise
were named based on my interpretation of the poetry. All musical examples seen with the
chapter are reproductions of the originals and used with permission. See Appendix C for the
original manuscript.
20
Canción del amor triste
This “Song of Sad Love,” the first of the cycle, begins in the ominous key of F Minor and
the low F pedal tone begins the “death toll motive” on beat 1 (see figure 11), followed by a rolled
F chord on beat 2, firmly establishing the key.
Figure 11 “Death Toll Motive,” m. 1
The voice of the protagonist, a woman, addresses the wind in an accompanied recitative style in
m. 2, “Wind that blows where I cannot go, won‟t you carry me?” It is clear that this is the voice
of a woman, as the poetry later speaks about cutting her braid and of the man she cannot stop
loving. The “wind motive” (see figure 12), appears immediately in mm. 7-8, on the tail end of
the subito forte of m. 6. The notes are written in a descending order ending with a poco
ritardando and a crescendo as if to strongly answer, “No.” With the introduction of these two
motives and the F Minor key, there is a clear foreshadowing of the inevitable tragic ending.
Figure 12 “Wind Motive,” mm. 6-8
21
The opening dynamic of the song is piano which, based on the poetry, indicates that the
wind is approaching from a distance to answer the woman. The arrival of the wind propels the
woman into a series of thoughts, the tempo in m. 9 immediately changes to píu mosso and a new
sequence begins in the accompaniment continuing through m. 14. The pattern of the sequence
steps down from F, doubling the voice, but filling in between the downbeats with
embellishments (see figure 13).
Figure 13 Ernesto Lecuona,“Canción del amor triste,” mm. 9-14
This running sequence of notes ties in perfectly with the poetry as the woman starts to
speak in desperation, “If I had your wings, oh, I‟d fly through the blue sky with you.” This is the
only time this sequence is used; and, on the word azul (blue), as the singer sustains the pitch
through m. 18, the “wind motive” returns, this time pianissimo. The duality of the needs of the
woman and the resistance of the wind is clear; the wind will not carry her (see figure 14).
22
Figure 14 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 16-19
The “death toll motive” returns again in m. 19, (see figure 13) and in mm. 20-26 the poetry
becomes even more desperate: “Because I am so sad, I would like to flee…carry me, Pampean
wind, oh far from here.” The dramatic nature of the piece becomes more evident in these mm. as
the accompaniment doubles the voice with octaves rising to a fortissimo (see figure 15).
23
The Pampean wind refers to the pampas region of South America. This low lying area
experiences bursts of cold polar air from the west in the south of Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.
The pampero storms usually mark the end of long periods of high humidity and extreme heat.
Lecuona shows the nature of a storm in the accompaniment, for just as the actual pampero storm
shows the end of suffering heat, the music at m. 27 modulates to F Major and the wind has a
change of heart, when the music leaves the ominous key (see figure 15).
The accompaniment then pivots to a more light-hearted tone and moves to higher pitches
marked by staccato chords and the gradual rise from piano to forte. A new motive appears in m.
29, the “bird motive,” written with short groupings of 32nd notes (see figure 16).
Figure 16 “Bird Motive”
The contour of the vocal line reflects the dynamic markings increasing to forte as it ascends and
returning to piano as the line descends (see figure 17) Finally, the wind is carrying her through
the “blue sky” and the “bird motive” returns seven more times throughout the section.
Even though the music suggests a tone of happiness, the poetry differs, as the woman tells the
wind all she will do in order for it to carry her:
Lighter I‟d make myself, more than I am. To make myself lighter, my tears I‟ve shed, to
make myself lighter, if need be, my dark braid, oh, I shall cut. To make myself lighter, I
will not smile, when you finally carry me far from here.
24
After two full pages of music, we still do not know who or what the cause of her sadness
and desperation is. This is finally revealed in the poetry as she speaks again to the wind
beginning in m. 52: “The only thing, wind, that cannot be, is that I should stop loving that man.”
It then becomes apparent that the woman is struggling with wanting freedom and not being able
to leave the man that she loves.
Lecuona beautifully shows the duality of these emotions in the musical interlude from
mm. 60-67 (see figure 18). The accompaniment in the bass clef maintains the same pattern and
light-hearted feeling seen earlier in the section with the staccato chords, while the
accompaniment in the treble clef changes to dramatic octaves and dense chords.
The voice interrupts the interlude in mm. 68-70 and joins the melody established earlier
by the octaves (see figure 19).
Figure 19 Ermesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 68-75
25
The text seen in m. 52 is repeated, this time with accent marks and triple forte in the
accompaniment as though she is screaming, “The only thing, wind, that cannot be…” and then
the music suddenly changes in m. 72 (see figure 19) when the dense chords disappear and the
dynamics diminish as she finishes her thought, “…is that I should stop loving that man.”
With the two tenuto markings on beat two and three of m. 78 (see figure 20), the song
modulates back to F Minor and the “death toll” returns for the last time on m. 79 (see figure 21).
Figure 20 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 78
Figure 21 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 79
The woman declares, “Although my love is heavy, I will take it with me wherever I go; can you
carry me?” This is the last line of the poetry and the answer comes with the dramatic ending in
the accompaniment in mm. 87-90 (see figure 22), it is clear that she will never find a way to
escape.
26
The final chords are very much like many of Puccini‟s tragedies, with powerful triple forte,
extremely “dense cords and the final low F pedal tone, which began the piece (see figure 22).
A woman is said to be a complex creature, full of emotion. Lecuona beautifully shows
the struggle and depths of passion within this art song. Clearly he was exposed to and
understood the style of the post-Romantic, verismo era, for if this song was performed without
the other four, it could very well be categorized as an operatic aria.
27
Quiero ser hombre
Use of motives and duality of themes are maintained in this second song of the cycle, as
seen within the first three mm. (see figure 23).
Figure 23 “Man Motive,” mm. 1-3
The major key and light-hearted writing within the 6/8 meter are a contrast to the first songs
ominous minor key and dramatic writing. The use of staccato chords, as they relate to the poetry,
differs between these first two song‟s. In the first song this characteristic writing was used to
depict the main character of the poetry, as she “flew through the sky with the wind.” In this
song, these chords possibly represent the woman‟s thoughts on “what it would be like to be a
man.”
In contrast to the staccato chords, the “man motive” appears in the bass line (see figure
23). The large leaps of these intervals are possibly showing the “large steps” a man would take
as he walks and the staccato chords could also indicate the smaller and more feminine steps of a
woman; both written in their appropriate registers, furthering the idea that this song is indeed a
waltz as the couple “dances together.”
This pattern continues as the woman begins to speak in m.4, “If I were a man what
wealth of moonlight, of shadows and silence I‟d fill myself with! Night after night, alone I
would wander through quiet fields and the edge of the sea!” As the waltz continues in the
accompaniment, the vocal line shows the woman‟s thought process with the use of poco
ritardando in mm. 8 and 14, and dynamic contrasts throughout the first page (see figure 24).
Although the vocal line changes with the thought process of the woman, the man motive remains
consistent, only changing to suit the harmonic progressions. Lecuona continues with his
description of a woman, just as he did in the first song. Here the woman is again more
complicated and emotional, while the man is simple and practical.
28
Figure 24 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 8-14
The poetry is expressed within the vocal line as the notes follow the woman‟s pattern of
thought. The starting pitches of each new thought begin on G4 and usually return to same pitch
or to the tonic. The range of the melody stays within the staff or just slight above to G5, which is
appropriate for the poetry as, unlike the first song, this poetry does not have extreme range of
emotion, therefore the melody is somewhat contained.
In m.16, as the poetry reads, “If I were a man, the strangeness, the madness, a fervent
vagabond I‟d have to be,” the melody starts to change ever so slightly as tenutos, grace notes and
dramatic nuance markings are written within mm. 17-21. Clearly a woman‟s interpretation of
how to act like a man is starting to appear within the vocal line and suddenly also within the
accompaniment in m.22 (see figure 25).

29
The man motive and the staccato chords are replaced by broken chords in the bass and step wise
movement in the treble clef, as the poetry speaks about how as a man, the woman would be “a
friend of all the paths and long roads which invite you to go far, and never return!” The
dynamics in this section increase to fortissimo with allargando and rallentando markings.
As seen in the first song of the cycle, Lecuona favored a dramatic style, and in mm. 28-
38, the simplistic accompaniment disappears as we are catapulted once again into dense chords
and expansive intervals within the piano writing (see figure 26).
From the poetry in the mm. that preceded this musical interlude it is clear that this section of the
music is where the woman is experiencing the “paths and long roads” from where you “never
30
return.” This statement is supported since Lecuona had already established in the first song, with
the same writing style, the deep emotions of a woman. The song is full of humor as the woman
tries to “act” and “think” as a man, yet she “daydreams” within the interlude, as a woman.
The same rhythmic pattern seen within the accompaniment from the first 20 mm. returns
again in m. 39 as the poetry repeats the text that preceded the musical interlude (see figure 27).
Figure 27 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” m. 39
In m. 52 the melody changes shape and the woman‟s final thoughts are written as a succession of
two m. groupings, the tempo dictated by several ritardando, rallentando and fermata markings
to the end of the song. This writing style helps to further the importance of the last sentence:
“When thus I am drawn by desires to wander, what a deep regret to be a woman I feel!”
As much as a woman will try to “think” like a man, she must remain true to the unique
qualities of a woman. Once again Lecuona shows these varied assets within the accompaniment
and vocal line as the writing style indicates how a woman can be dramatic and spontaneous. The
vocal line ends with the final held E-flat of mm. 59-62, sustained above the “man motive” in the
bass; finally an agreement is reached and both come to rest on the tonic (see figure 28).
31
Señor jardinero
The song begins with the “child motive” in the treble clef. This motive is a grouping of
six notes, comprising beats 1 and 2 of each m., and continues throughout the song, until the final
m. (see figure 29).
Figure 29 “Child Motive”
The harmonic complexity and chromaticism of the motive increases throughout the song as the
narrator, a child, speaks about Natacha. The vocal line is simple, making use of repeated tones
and staying within the interval of a seventh (see figure 30) .
Figure 30 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 3-5
Given that the text is taken from children‟s poetry; the limited range was most likely used to
show the developmental limitation of a child‟s voice. 37 All of these elements together, along
with the text of the poetry, indicate that the voice of the narrator is indeed that of a child.
Jade Pai Shih-Yu, Discovering Musical Characteristics of Children’s Songs from Various Parts of the World
37
(B.Sc., Queen‟s University, 2005), ii
32
The child asks “Mr. Gardener” (Señor jardinero) in m.3 for a white and red rose, so that
Natacha will wake the next morning with a red rose to match the color of her cheeks and a white
rose to match the color of her pillow. Natacha could be a young girl and the narrator is a young
boy enamored with her beauty. Or, the reference of the name could be referring to the traditional
Russian dolls that are always painted with white skin and rosy cheeks; In this instance the child
would be a young girl.
This song is relatively short and is most simplistic as compared to the other four songs in
the cycle, yet Lecuona still makes great use of motives and duality of themes. The “child
motive” functions to express the internal excitement within the child‟s body as he/she speaks to
the Gardener about the roses that are needed for Natacha. The chromaticism begins in m.15 and
becomes more complex as the motive continues into m. 17 (see figure 31).
Figure 31 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 8-17
The notes move into the higher register of the piano, depicting the heightened excitement of the
child. The vocal line remains simple in contrast to the complicated motive running below the
text.
33
A second motive, the “sigh motive”, appears in m.21 on the text “ah” (see figure 32).
Figure 32 “Sigh Motive”
It is charming that the poetess includes the actual sigh of the child in the poetry and that Lecuona
gives it a special place in the music. This motive returns again in m. 33 and the song ends just as
quickly as it began, with the delicate manner of the piano and use of staccato intervals in m. 35.
This song is the only one of the cycle in which Lecuona did not maintain any of the same
dramatic character seen in each of the other four songs. This song shows the energy, love and
innocence of a child within the delicate texture of the accompaniment and simplicity of the vocal
line.
34
La señora luna
This fourth song in the cycle is an example of a Cuban bolero, with its brief one m.
introduction, 2/4 time signature, slow tempo and rich melodies within the accompaniment.
Lecuona also incorporates some of the compositional traits of his piano pieces within this song.
In mm 22-23, (see figure 33) the piano writing looks very much like m.81 of his Vals
maravilloso (see figure 34).
Figure 33 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” mm. 22-23
Copyright © 1954 by Edward B. Marks Music Company

Copyright Renewed
This arrangement copyright © 2002 by Edward B Marks Music Company
All Right Reserved International Copyright Secured Used by Permission
Figure 34 Ernesto Lecuona, “Vals maravilloso,” mm. 78-82
The text of this poem is a lullaby, which recounts the story a young child might have been told
before he/she went to sleep. This is clear within the text as the story of Madame Moon is
described with fantastical elements. Ibarbourou had only one child, a boy, so this may have been
a poem she wrote for him.
35
Madame Moon asked the orange tree for a green dress and a white veil.
Madame Moon wishes to wed a little page boy from the royal house.
Lecuona shows the tenderness of a mother speaking to her child with the staccato and
soft dynamic marking of the opening chords, which also serve to create a “dreamy atmosphere”
sequence. Lecuona further expresses the text in m.9 on the word blanco (white) with a musical
gesture, perhaps showing “wispiness” of the veil (see figure 35).
Figure 35 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” m. 9
Heightened excitement about the upcoming wedding is expressed with quick staccato chords that
descend chromatically in mm. 13 and 14 (see figure 36) with the “wedding motive” on the word
casar (to marry).
Figure 36 “Wedding Motive”
36
As seen in the previous pieces and in these mm., when the accompaniment moves into the upper
range, Lecuona is very careful never to interrupt the vocal line or text—masterful writing for the
voice.
At the bottom of the first page, beginning in m. 18, the poetry is written above the staff as
recitation: “Sleep, Natacha, and you‟ll go to the wedding with your hair in a bun and in a dress
with a train.” This spoken text may be the voice of the mother that the child recalls within
his/her dream. The accompaniment that runs underneath the spoken dialogue in mm. 18-25
quickly moves with the accelerando marking into the higher and lower range of the piano (see
figure 37).
37
This writing helps to further express the fantasy nature of the poetry and paints a picture of the
“wedding.” The song ends with a beautiful musical gesture in mm. 33-34, a descending and
ascending arpeggio; perhaps Madame Moon dressed in her wedding gown, or the young child
dreaming of the future (see figure 38).
38
Balada de amor
The poem used for this last song is a celebration of love and, like the first song of the
cycle, the poem is written in the first person and is the voice of a woman. She speaks about
having just seen the man she had always longed for, but could never picture his face. She had
been “singing a song, and at that moment she turned pale and everything stopped” when she saw
him. A voice inside her told her “Lift your eyes! The one whom you await is passing by!” The
woman follows the man “like a sleepwalker” trembling and watches him enter his house
“without knowing that behind him he dragged a soul.” In the last stanza of the poem, the woman
says: “I became so saddened that I cried until dawn. I‟d give him my life, and he doesn‟t even
know it!”
This song is in the key of A-flat major, which is the relative major key of the first song of
the cycle, written in F minor. It is written in 6/8 time and begins with a simple broken chord
accompaniment, very dance-like. The melody of the vocal line is doubled within the treble clef
of piano and accented with grace notes in mm. 3 and 7 (see figure 39 and 40) on the words
esperaba (to wait for) and ese momento (that moment).
Figure 39 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 3
39
The dance is interrupted in m. 10 (see figure 41) with a musical gesture on the word pálida
(pale). This is where the woman first sees the man and Lecuona expresses this in the piano with a
fortissimo dynamic and sixteenth notes showing how fast her heart is racing.
Figure 41 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m.10
The aspect of duality is seen in mm. 16-20 (see figure 42) as the woman says, “I followed
him like a sleepwalker with my hands trembling and my face pale.” This quiet thought of the
woman is expressed with fortissimo and accent markings with dramatic chords that move quickly
into running sixteenth notes, interrupted by ritardando markings. As she follows the man in
silence, Lecuona expresses in the music the overwhelming excitement that she cannot express
out loud.
40
Figure 42 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 16-20
Just as quickly as the man had passed by her early in the poetry, he disappears “without
seeing the woman and enters his house.” The music for this section, is written to further express
this text with the continuation of the running sixteenth notes, now with a più mosso marking and
a two m. crescendo in mm. 23-25 (see figure 43).
41
Suddenly in m. 26 her increased joy and excitement is expressed again within the music, just as
in m. 16, now beginning with the word alma (soul); the dramatic writing returns, full of accents
and an increased dynamic to fortissimo (see figure 44).
The “tear motive” appears in m. 28 (see figure 45) with a quick thirty-second note
descending pattern that ends with a fermata.
Figure 45 “Tear Motive”
These are not tears of sadness; for in mm. 32-40 (see figure 46), in a Chopinesque style, Lecuona
takes us through a musical journey, as the woman “visualizes her life with this man.”
42
In m. 45 the vocal line moves into the higher range and the text from the beginning of the poem
is repeated, “Lift your eyes! The one whom you await is passing by!” Lecuona echoes her joy in
the final mm. reaffirming the key of the piece with the fortissimo marking, the running sixteenth
note pattern and the final A-flat chord (see figure 47).

43
CONCLUSION
Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963) will always be regarded as one of the most important
Cuban musicians, having written more than 600 compositions. He was well respected by his
peers and admired by audiences throughout Latin and South America, Europe and the United
States during his time. His popularity continues today on the concert stage, in recent recordings
and within music education; both his Malagueña and La comparsa are standard repertoire for
classical pianists and have been arranged for marching bands. His success with Afro-Cuban
songs influenced composers within his generation and those to follow. He was revered by many
of his contemporaries for his abilities as a pianist and composer. His popularity was so great,
that he was given the title of “The Cuban Gershwin.”
His Five Arts Songs on Verses by Juana de Ibarbourou (Cinco canciones con versos de
Juana Ibarbourou) incorporate specific historical influences on the Cuban canción, such as the
influence of Italian opera and dance rhythms. The songs are composed in the Lied tradition of
the great German composers, with their use of motives, expressive melodies, complex harmonies
and successful setting of Juana de Ibarborou‟s poetry with the music. However, with the added
elements such as the use of the Cuban bolero and criollo rhythms along with the rich texture and
dramatic piano accompaniments, these songs are distinctly Cuban canciones.
44
APPENDIX A
45
Canción del amor triste Song of Sad Love
Viento que te vas a donde no puedo yo ir Wind that blows where I cannot go,
No me llevaras? Si tuviera alas como tú Won‟t you carry me? If I had your wings,
Ay, contigo iría por el cielo azul oh, I‟d fly through the blue sky with you,
Porque estoy tan triste que deseara huir. because I am so sad I would like to flee.
Llévame oh, pampero, muy lejos de aquí Carry me, Pampean wind, oh far from here,
Haréme liviana, mas de lo que soy, lighter I‟d make myself, more than I am. To
Para pesar menos, he llorado hoy make myself lighter, my tears I‟ve shed, to
Para pesar menos si preciso es, make myself lighter, if need be,
Mi trenza sombría Ay, me cortaré. my dark braid, oh, I shall cut.
Pare pesar menos, no he de sonreir To make myself lighter, I will not smile,
Cuando al fin me lleves muy lejos de aquí when you finally carry me far from here,
Lo único, viento, que no puede ser the only thing, wind, that cannot be,
Es que yo a aquel hombre dejé de querer. is that I should stop loving that man.
Aunque pese mucho, es amor irá Although my love is heavy, I will take it
Adonde yo vaya, me podrás llevar? with me wherever I go; can you carry me?
Poet: Juana de Ibarbourou

(from Dualismo, Obras Completas, 1953)
Quiero ser hombre To be a man
Si yo fuera hombre, ¡que hartazgo de luna, If I was a man, what a wealth of moonlight,
De sombra y silencio me había de dar! of shadows and silence I‟d fill myself with!
¡Cómo, noche a noche, sólo ambularía Night after night, alone I would wander
Por los campos quietos y por frente al mar! through quiet fields and the edge of the sea!
Si yo fuera hombre, ¡qué extraño, qué If I was a man, the strangeness, the madness,
loco, tenaz vagabundo que había de ser! a fervent vagabond I‟d have to be!
¡Amigo de todos los largos caminos A friend of all the paths and long roads
Que invitan a ir lejos para no volver! which invite you to go far, and never return!
Cuando así me acosan, ansias andariegas, When thus I am drawn by desires to wander
¡Qué pena tan honda me da ser mujer! what a deep regret to be a woman I feel!
(from Raíz salvaje, 1922)
46
Señor jardinero Mr. Gardener
Señor jardinero, Mr. Gardener,

déme usted a mí please give me
un capullo pálido a pale rosebud
y otro carmesí. and another one crimson.
Lo pondré en la almohada So I might place them

donde mi Natacha on the pillow where
hunde su mejilla my Natacha sinks her cheek,
rosadita y blanca, ah! white and pink, oh!
Y al día siguiente So she may rise the next day

tendrá usted así with two white roses
dos rositas blancas and two crimson, oh!
y dos carmesí, Ah!
(from Dualismo, 1953)
La señora luna Madame Moon
La señora Luna Madame moon

le pidió al naranjo asked the orange tree
un vestido verde for a green dress
y un velillo blanco and a white veil

se quiere casar wishes to wed
con un pajecito a little page boy
de la casa real. from the royal house.
Recitado: Spoken:
“Duérmete, Natacha, “Sleep, Natacha,
e irás a la boda and you‟ll go to the wedding
peinada de moño with your hair in a bun
y en traje de cola.” and in a dress with a train.”

se quiere casar wishes to wed
con un pajecito a little page boy
de la casa real. from the royal house.
(from Dualismo, 1953)
47
Balada de amor Song of Love
Aquel que esperaba He who I longed for,

Sin saber su cara, without knowing his face,
Pasó hoy a mi lado passed by me today
Y llevóse mi alma. and stole my heart.
La trova que en ese The tune that I was singing

Momento cantaba, at that moment
Se quebró en mis labios broke on my lips
Y tornéme pálida. and I turned pale.
Alguien me lo dijo Someone told me

Sin voz ni palabra: without a voice or word
¡Levanta los ojos “Lift your eyes!
Que pasa el que aguardas! The one whom you await is passing by!”
Me puse a seguirlo I followed him

Como una sonámbula like a sleepwalker
Con las manos trémulas with my hands trembling
Y la cara pálida. and my face pale.
Mas él, sin mirarme, Yet he, without seeing me,

Se adentró a su casa entered his house
Sin saber que a rastros without knowing that behind him
Se llevaba un alma. he dragged a soul.
Me volví tan triste I became so saddened

Que lloré hasta el alba. that I cried until dawn.
¡Le daría mi vida I‟d give him my life,
Y él no sabe nada! and he doesn‟t even know it!
(from Dualismo, Obras Completas, 1953)
48
APPENDIX B
49
CANCIÓN DEL AMOR TRISTE
ˈbjɛn to kɛ tɛ bas a ˈdon ðɛ no ˈpwɛ ðo yo ir

Viento que te vas a donde no puedo yo ir
no mɛ ʎɛ βaˈras si tu ˈbjɛ ˈralas ˈko mo ˈtu

No me llevará S
Ai, kon ˈti goi ˈri a por ɛl ˈsjɛ loa ˈsul

A
Por kɛ ˈstoi tan ˈtris tɛ kɛ dɛ ˈsɛa ra ˈuir

P .
ˈʎe βa mɛo pam ˈpɛr o mui ˈlɛ xos dɛa ˈki

L
a ˈre mɛ li ˈvja na mas dɛ lo kɛ soi

Haréme liviana, mas de lo que soy,
ˈpa ra ˈpɛ sar ˈmɛ nos ɛ ʎo ˈra ðo oi

Para pesar menos, he l
ˈpa ra ˈpɛ sar ˈmɛ nos si prɛ ˈsi so ɛs

Para pesar menos si preciso es,
mi ˈtrɛn sa som ˈbri a ai mɛ kor ta ˈre

Mi trenza sombría Ay, me cortaré!
ˈpa ra ˈpɛ sar ˈmɛ nos noɛ dɛ son rɛ ˈir

P
ˈkwan ðɔal fin mɛ ˈʎɛ βɛs mui ˈlɛ xos dɛa ˈki
C
Lo ˈu ni ko ˈvjɛn to kɛ no ˈpwɛ ðɛ ser

Lo único, viento, que no puede ser
ɛs kɛ joa ˈkɛl ˈom brɛ dɛ ˈxe dɛ kɛ ˈrɛr

E .
ˈaun kɛ ˈpɛ sɛ ˈmu ʧo esa ˈmor i ˈra

A
a ˈðon ðe jo ˈbai ja mɛ po ˈðras ʎɛ ˈβar

Adonde yo vaya, me podrás llevar?
50
QUIERO SER HOMBRE
si jo ˈfwɛ ra ˈom βrɛ kɛar ˈtas go dɛ ˈlu na

S ,
dɛ ˈsom brai si ˈlɛn sio mɛa ˈβi a dɛ dar

!
ˈco mo ˈno ʧɛa ˈno ʧɛ ˈso loam βu la ˈria

C
por los ˈcam pos ˈkjɛ tos i por ˈfrɛn tɛal mar
P !
si jo ˈfwɛ ra ˈom βre ˈkeks ˈtra ɲo ˈke ˈlo ko

S , qué loco,
te ˈnas ba ɣa ˈβun ðo kɛa ˈβi a dɛ sɛr

Tenaz !
a ˈmi go dɛ ˈto ðos los ˈlar ɣos ka ˈmi nos

¡Amigo de todos los largos caminos
Kɛin ˈvi tan air ˈlɛ xos pa ˈra no bol ˈβɛr

Q !
Kwan dɔa ˈsi mɛa ˈko san ˈan sjas an dar ˈjɛ gas
C , ansias andariegas,
ˈke ˈpɛ na tan ˈon ða mɛ da sɛr mu ˈxɛr

¡Qué pena tan honda me da ser mujer!
51
SEÑOR JARDINERO
Sɛ ˈɲor xar di ˈnɛ ro ˈde mɛu ˈstɛd a mi
Señor jardinero, déme usted a mí
un ka ˈpu ʎo ˈpa li ðo i ˈo tro kar mɛ ˈsi

un capullo pálido y otro carmesí.
los pon ˈðren lal ˈmwa ða

L en la almohada
ˈdon ðɛ mi na ˈta ʧa ˈun ðɛ su mɛ ˈxi ʎa

donde mi Natacha hunde su mejilla
ˈȓo sa ði tai ˈblaƞ ka a

, ah!
ial ˈdi a si ˈɣjɛn tɛ tɛn ˈðrau ˈstɛd a ˈsi
dos ȓo ˈsi tas ˈblaƞ kas i dos kar mɛ ˈsi a

dos rositas blancas y dos carmesí, Ah!
LA SEÑORA LUNA
la sɛˈɲo ra ˈlu na lɛ pi ˈðjoal na ˈraƞ xo

L L
un bɛ ˈsti ðo ˈbɛr ðɛ iun bɛ ˈli ʎo ˈblaƞ ko
la sɛˈɲo ra ˈlu na sɛ ˈkjɛ rɛ ka ˈsar

La señora Luna se quiere casar
con un pa xɛ ˈsi to dɛ la ˈka sa ȓɛ ˈal

con un pajecito de la casa real.
ˈdwɛr mɛ tɛ na ˈta ʧa ɛ i ˈras a la ˈbo ða

“ N
Pei ˈna ða dɛ ˈmo ɲo i ɛn ˈtra xe dɛ ˈko la

peinada de moño y en .”
la sɛˈɲo ra ˈlu na sɛ ˈkjɛ rɛ ka ˈsar

La señora Luna se quiere casar
con un pa xɛ ˈsi to dɛ la ˈka sa ȓɛ ˈal

con un pajecito de la casa real.
52
BALADA DE AMOR
a ˈkɛl kɛs pɛˈra βa sin sa ˈβɛr su ˈka ra

A ,
pa ˈsoi a mi ˈla ðoi ʎɛ ˈβo se mi ˈal ma

P y llevose mi alma.
la ˈtro βa kɛn ˈɛsɛ mo ˈmɛn to kan ˈta βa

L ,
sɛ kɛ ˈβroɛn mis ˈla βjos i tor ˈnɛ mɛ ˈpa li ða

S torneme pálida.
ˈal ɣjɛn mɛ lo ˈdi xo sin bos ni pa ˈla βra

Alguien me lo dijo sin voz ni palabra:
lɛ ˈβan ta los ˈo xos kɛ ˈpa sɛl kɛa ˈɣwar das

L !
mɛ ˈpu sɛa se ˈɣwir lo ko ˈmu na so ˈnam βu la

M
kon las ˈma nos ˈtre mu las i la ˈka ra ˈpa li ða

Con las manos trémulas y la cara pálida.
mas ˈel sin mi ˈrar mɛ sɛa ðɛn ˈtroa su ˈka sa

M
sin sa ˈβɛr kɛa ˈȓas tros sɛ ʎɛ ˈβa βun ˈal ma

S .
mɛ bol ˈβi tan ˈtri stɛ kɛ ʎo ˈrɛa sta ɛl ˈal βa

M .
lɛ da ˈria mi ˈbi ða ˈiel no ˈsa βɛ ˈna da

L !
a ˈkɛl kɛs pɛˈra βa sin sa ˈβɛr su ˈka ra

A ,
pa ˈsoi a mi ˈla ðoi ʎɛ ˈβo se mi ˈal ma

P .
ˈal ɣjɛn mɛ lo ˈdi xo sin bos ni pa ˈla βra

Alguien me lo dijo sin voz ni palabra:
lɛ ˈβan ta los ˈo xos kɛ ˈpa sɛl kɛa ˈɣwar das

L !
53
APPENDIX C
54
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70
APPENDIX D
71
FERNANDO LECUONA INTERVIEW
The following is an English transcription of the interview held with Fernando Lecuona in
his Florida home on June 24th, 2011 and provides insight into the life of Ernesto Lecuona.
Fernando Lecuona, (b. Havana, Cuba 1926) is a professor, musician, Olympic gymnast,
professional golfer and scholar. He holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration and M.A. in
International Affairs from Florida State University. He is the nephew of the great Cuban
composer Ernesto Lecuona. Mr. Lecuona is also a pianist and has recorded more than 150 of his
own songs to date and seven albums. His 1950 composition, El lucero y yo was a major success
in Cuba and a favorite today.
The Interview
Fernando Lecuona (FL):
I used to go to Ernesto‟s farm. My sister and I would go every Saturday to Ernesto‟s farm. It
wasn‟t a working farm, but more for recreation. Many artists would go from Cuba and from
abroad. Kings, princes, presidents, ambassadors, and artists would visit the farm. In those days,
Mojica, (inaudible), Carlos Gardel, were famous. As for Americans, Jeanette McDonald, Nelson
Eddy…
Christina Villaverde (CV):

But all those would visit the farm?
FL:
Yes. The farm was half an hour away from Havana. Everyone would go to my house, because I
lived in Havana to see where Ernesto was… to see where he lived. Because I needed to take him
home. Composers—I don‟t remember all their names, but they are listed there in the book.
Iturbi—ever hear of composer Jose Iturbi? Gershwin…
CV:
He went to Ernesto‟s house?
FL:
Yes. Ravel.
CV:
Maurice Ravel.
72
FL:
Of “Bolero,” the composer. And the most humble folks would also visit the House to look for
money, or to see if there was work available. Ernesto would give work to all his choral
members. When it was not the era of the zarzuelas or operettas, nobody had work, so Ernesto
would offer them the opportunity to work at the farm. Bola de Nieve‟s mother was the cook at
the farm. Every day she would cook. Bola de Nieve was there, dancers, choral members,
showgirls. Some would dust the Chinese parts, others the South-American parts, because
Ernesto had collections from all over. There were these two large “cobijas.” Know what is a
“cobija?”
CV:
No.
FL:
They are these large, open huts without walls.
CV:
Outside?
FL:
Yes. They were about a block away from the house. That‟s where people would play baccarat,
canasta, Parcheesi, poker—everything—while Ernesto stayed inside the house. He‟d send them
out so he could be alone. During the week he would only be in his underwear, because he didn‟t
like to be in pants, because since he was always out in public, he had to dress up and he was
upset of having to always wear coat and tie, so generally whenever I would take someone to visit
him, I would have them wait so I could warn Ernesto that there was company so he could dress
up. He would then tell them to come in, but otherwise, he would always be in his underwear. It
was a large underwear. It would make me laugh.
He did not play the piano.
CV:
Who?
Ernesto, because he was tired of playing the piano. Outside the house, yes, but not in the house,
even though there was a piano. Everyone played there. And since I would only play with one
finger, there was a bad pianist named “Kinka,” so Ernesto would tell me, “Kinka, get off the
piano.”
CV:
That‟s the nickname he gave you?
FL
Yes. He would call me either “Kinka” or “Feyayi.” Or “Feyayito,” or Fernando. He was the only
one who would call me “Feyayo.” And the first time I saw him was when I was three years.
That was eighty-two years ago, when he came from South America with a group of Artists.
73
Because, that‟s what he did. His money, he would invest it in artists so he could travel. The
food, the lodging, everything was paid for by Ernesto. Whether they made money or not, it was
Ernesto‟s expenses. Then they would go talk about everything they saw, whether in Argentina,
Buenos Aires, Paris.
I lived with him three times in different places. One was a block from 5th Avenue in New York
in 10 E 60th Street.
CV:
In what year?
FL:
That was in ‟43. Then, he bought a house in Jackson Heights and got me a job with Edward B
Marks, his publicist, music publisher.
CV:
Yes, Marks Music Corporation.
FL:
Yes, I was there working with him for two years.
CV:
You were there working with him?
FL:
Yes. Also, there was another place in New York, but I don‟t recall right now, because two years
ago they operated on my brain, and I forget a few things.
When we lived above the Copacabana in 10 East 60th Street, the nightclub was downstairs, so at
night I‟d go down to the club to see all the stars sing and dance. Meanwhile he would stay
playing canasta in his underwear.
And when we lived in Jackson Heights, they called him from Hollywood, and he didn‟t speak
English, so “see what they want, Fernandito,” he said, and I got on the telephone, and it was
Warner Brothers who wanted to talk about the song “Siempre en mi Corazon.” So Ernesto would
dictate it to me, and I would dictate it to them: “b-flat, C-major, E, whatever.”
CV:
So you were telling them the music on the phone, “this is part B, this is part F, like that?”
FL:
Yes, everything over the telephone.
74
CV:
So you said that Ernesto didn‟t speak a word of English?
FL:
No. But he had many people around him who would explain, especially his lawyer, who was the
executor of Ernesto‟s will, who has died. John Sperry. And when [Ernesto] died, he split his
estate among twenty-four people, some of whom had never even been to his house. “How could
they have given money to this person?” It was through Sperry, so they wouldn‟t get angry. For
example, my mother didn‟t get anything, even though she was always with him, and it was
because of Sperry. Had it been up to Ernesto, she probably would have received a lot, but since
Sperry didn‟t know my mother or father—though he knew me—that‟s why.
My mother went with my aunt Ernestina. Ernestina was the caretaker of the house.
CV:
Ernestina was Ernesto‟s sister?
FL:
Yes. Ernesto‟s older sister.
CV:
She was the one who took care of the whole house?
FL:
She was like the matron.
CV:
Of the house in Havana?
FL:
Yes, on Infanta Street. Do you know Infanta and Carlos III?
CV:
No, I haven‟t been.
FL:
It was in the upper floors. Ernestina was married with four children: Juanito, Lisita, Julieta, and
Blanco, but he died. But today, Juanito‟s son, and for over forty years now, has been a genius on
the guitar. The best guitar player in the world—Juanito Brouwer—better than the Spaniards. He
inherited it from his father Juanito who was a great guitarist.
CV:
This was the second son of Ernestina?
75
FL:
Yes, the second one. Julieta was the sister of Juanito, but she didn‟t work. She lived off her
husband who was a journalist—Arturo Ramirez. All that I think my brother includes in the book
there.
I was going to say something… Ernestina was the one who composed “Sierra sierra los ojos,”
“Y ahora que eres mia.”
CV:
She was the first music teacher…
FL:
Ernestina was the one who first influenced Ernesto. Then it was Hubert DeBlanck, and later it
was Liszt and Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, and Gershwin.
CV:
But of those, did he know any of them personally?
FL:
Gershwin, yes, and Rachmaninoff and Paderewski, who was number one in the world, and later
became President of Poland, and Rachmaninoff and Ernesto were together number two in the
world. The first was Paderewski, and the second were Rachmaninoff and Ernesto, tied. And one
time in the Salle Pleyel of Paris where Chopin and Liszt played together, Iturbi told another
pianist, whose name I don‟t recall but it‟s in the book, “we can‟t play like that. Look how he
plays. We‟ll never play like that.” That‟s because Ernesto could reach fourteen keys in one
hand. Know what that is? And very nimble.
CV:
But his hand was that large, from end to end, fourteen keys?
FL:
I reach ten keys...But he reached four more than I, and was very nimble. He didn‟t need to
practice. He was talented from birth. He started playing at five years of age, and he died at sixty-
three, I believe. He was born, well, they came from the Canary Islands in 1834.
CV:
So was this his parents?
FL:
His great-grandparents. Ernesto was born in 1895.
CV:
In Guanabacoa.
76
FL:
In Guanabacoa. Because when they arrived to Matanzas, they asked where the Cuban culture
was, and they were told Guanabacoa. So they all left to Guanabacoa. Later, they moved to
Havana. Not for politics, because Ernesto hated politics. He was totally apolitical. He didn‟t
allow anyone to speak politics. Like I said before, ambassadors, princes, presidents, famous
artists from all over the world, would visit Havana to visit him. And Batista built his house on
the same road about half a mile away.
CV:
Close to Lecuona, to Ernesto?
FL:
Close to Ernesto Lecuona. But what happened, was that Batista was surrounded by tanks and
people with machine guns, and those who came in would have to stop and say where they were
going, and those who left had to stop and say where they were going, and Ernesto didn‟t like
that. That‟s one of the reasons he left.
CV:
He left because he didn‟t have the liberty to come and go from the house?
FL:
Yes.
CV:
And the friends who couldn‟t come visit.
FL:
From both, from Batista, from Prio Socarras, and later Castro, because under Castro it was all
“Viva Castro, Viva Castro,” but they forgot about the arts and culture. He would have to ask
Castro to organize artistic events, and he was told no. He didn‟t like that Esther Borja would
celebrate Castro‟s arrival in a show that Ernesto put together. Esther Borja sang a song against
Batista and in favor of Castro, and Ernesto didn‟t like that.
CV:
What song was it? Was it a song about Castro or was it a song for Castro?
FL:
For instance, “Down with the dictatorship, welcome the savior!” or something like that.
CV:
Savior? Because Castro was “the savior?”
FL:
Yes. And I read something about Ernesto being political somewhere, but Ernesto was not
political.
77
CV:
So what happened after that with Ernesto?
FL:
A short time later he left Havana and came to the United States. He came to live across the street
from us. I was telling your husband that we lived in a part of Tallahassee (Florida) that was
reserved only for married couples with children, because there were other areas that were for
singles. But we were married at that moment, and I had two girls of 5 and 7 years of age. I have
a picture of Ernesto there. Ernesto lived there in front of us.
CV:
So that was the first city he lived in after he left Havana?
FL:
No, first he went to Tampa, and then he went to Tallahassee. In Tampa he went to a nightclub
that was a cabaret, a casino, and it took up an entire block that was owned by a lady who was
married to a violinist named Ernesto.
CV:
Of the same name?
FL:
Was named Gonzalez-Martinez, so she named it Gonzmart. So the first dining room of the
nightclub was named Siboney.
CV:
So that was Ernesto‟s nightclub?
FL:
It belonged to the violinist who married a rich lady, and he built the nightclub so he could play
the violin.
CV:
That‟s in Ybor City, no?
FL:
Ybor City, yes. And also… I forget some things… When he lived in Ybor City… When I
mentioned Siboney, I was born in 1926 during a hurricane in 1926. My mother stuck me in a
drawer.
CV:
You were born during a hurricane?
78
FL:
Yes. And my mother told me once that the song “Siboney” was written because of me in 1926.
Ernesto started with classical, then he started inserting to the African songs some classical, such
as “Lucumi…” “La Danza Lucumí,” “La Danza de los Ñáñigos,” “La Comparsa.”
CV:
(singing “La Comparsa” melody)
FL:
Not the melody, but the rhythm is African.
CV:
But of the people who were living in Cuba…the Africans living in Cuba.
FL:
Yes. And the other part that he wrote is Spain—Andalucia, the steps…the gypsy steps. So he
has a classical part, African part, and a Spanish part, but the main influence was the theatre.
Since he was small, he liked to compose melodies for the singers and dancers of the zarzuelas,
the theatrical comedies, the vaudevilles, and the operettas and works such as “Rosa la China,”
“Maria la O…”
CV:
So of those, his favorite was the theatre, but not just zarzuela, but also movies?
FL:
No, in those days there was no television, nor…. That was way before you were born.
CV:
So ballet, orchestra, everything.
FL:
I lived on Prado, which is where he would go almost every day when he worked about three
blocks from me at the Teatro La Comedia or the Teatro Marti or when he worked 12 blocks
away at the Teatro Nacional. So he would come and go to have lunch, eat or sleep. He didn‟t
care how many came, because with him, everyone from the theatre would come, sometimes it
was for money, though he wouldn‟t give it, but rather instruct his secretary to give it: “Pepito,
give him 10 pesos,” “Pepito give him 20 pesos,” “give him 2 pesos,” “give the kids…”
CV:
So he was very generous.
FL:
Extremely generous! He was a very private person. He didn‟t like to speak much. Everyone
would always talk, and he would just sit and rock in the chair, and occasionally he would agree
with something or ask, “what did he say?” But words would not generally come out of his
mouth on his own accord.
79
Everything was more “mind to hands” without speaking. Some are well-spoken. A journalist
once asked, “why do you live on the farm and not Havana? Do you grow corn or something?”
Ernesto would reply, “from the Palm Trees I reap „Siboney,‟ and from the corn I reap „La
Comparsa,‟ and from that I reap „Karabalí‟, from everything it comes into my mind.”
CV:
The inspiration?
FL:
Yes, the inspiration. But it wasn‟t a working farm, but rather a recreational farm, and it had to be
large because there were always many people there. At any given time, there were at least 30
people there, and each one would come in his car with chauffeurs.
CV:
Ernesto was like “The Great Gatsby”?
FL:
Yes. And one day we were there at “La Comparsa,” which was the name of the farm, and I was
there as always, but what I least imagined, is that Ernesto would come with so many people that
were there to celebrate a Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). Bola de Nieve‟s mother, who was the
cook, and Bola de Nieve were both there.
So all those people saw Ernesto come out of the room—with pants on, of course, because at
night he would wear them, not in the afternoon. So he came down greeting everyone, slowly
making his way toward the piano. He pulled the piano bench, raised one hand high, and the room
became absolutely silent. No one spoke, coughed, or anything, and he began to play. And he
played, and played, and played. Everytime he would finish a song, everyone would clap, and he
wouldn‟t stand up. He would just play more and more.
He played for two hours without stopping. When he left and said his goodbyes, everyone
screamed for an encore, so he came out again and played “La Comparsa.”…
CV:
Ok, I‟m looking at some music here from Ernestina, “Me Odias?”
FL:
Yes, “Me Odias,” yes.
CV:
That was hers?
FL:
Yes.
CV:
And here a letter from Edward B. Marks Corporation written to Josefina LeCerff?
80
FL:
My mother.
CV:
Your mother, ok. It says we are giving a contract to publish…yes. I‟ve spoken with this
company.
FL:
You‟ve spoken with them?
CV:
Yes. Last week to ask them if they know about these five songs, and they said “no, we don‟t
have them.” That‟s why I wanted to speak to them to see if they could publish these songs by
Ernesto in the United States, because these are from Havana.
FL:
The father and the son of Marks, I lived with them for a week up there, and I lived with them
another week in Havana when I was married with my first wife, and I have pictures of them as
well.
CV:
I like this song by Ernestina that says it is “Criolla”
FL:
Which one is that one? (singing) “Me odias, sin embargo te quiero…”
CV:
But do you know that if I see this (pointing at the music), I see Ernesto. It‟s the same style.
FL:
Because how I used to say, Ernesto is not dedicated to only one part of the music. He liked
concerts, waltzes, boleros, smooth music that can be sung with or without drums, with or without
violins, and the African part, “Danza Lucumí,” “Danza de los Ñáñigos,” “Doña Inés.” “Doña
Inés” was written for Bola de Nieve‟s mother, whose name was Inés. He wrote another song to
her called, I think, “Vete pa’yá.”
CV:
I know he didn‟t speak too much, but when he wanted to say something important, how do you
say, was he a jokester?
FL:
Yes, he would mock some, but discreetly, so that the person wouldn‟t hear him.
81
CV:
What is your best memory, your favorite memory, of being with Ernesto, because I know your
father died young, so Ernesto was like your father, right?
FL:
Yes, my mother was invited by Ernestina to Pinar del Rio to go to these lakes where people
bathe for therapeutic reasons, although right now I don‟t remember the name of the place, so
Ernestina would say, “no, who‟s going to cook for my children, who‟s going to take care of
them?” Because we were young then. “Don‟t worry about them, we‟ll send someone that way.”
So we spent a week there, and after about a week, Ernesto invited my father to go as well, and
seeing that my mother was over there and who was going to take care of the children, “don‟t
worry, just come along.” And it was a day of torrential rain in Pinar del Rio, and Pepito
Borrueso, his secretary, made the car hydroplane into the side of a small mountain, and my father
was like this (leaning forward) speaking to Ernesto and Pepito driving, so when the car flipped,
the two who were here (signaling behind) hit him and he hit his head. He suffered a brain injury
and died after six days. Ernesto blamed himself and became very saddened for a long time.
That‟s when he took care of us. Anything we wanted, he gave us, but we didn‟t want too much.
He told Pepito that anything we wanted he should give us. He was also the one who assumed to
expenses of the six surgeons who operated on my father‟s brain, because they had to open his
brain and do many things, and among those were my cousin Juanito, the son of Ernestina, who
was a specialist in brain surgery, and he paid all that, the nursing, the specialists, and even the
cemetery.
He felt as if the death of his brother, who wrote books and poetry, and who was one of the first
who wrote the lyrics to his music, was his fault. So he dedicated himself to us until he left to
New York, and after he left to New York he took me in for a time in Jackson Heights and—what
was the name of the other place, that was close to, one block from Central Park—60 East…
CV:
Broadway?
FL:
No, not Broadway. It was off 5th Avenue.
CV:
Fifth Avenue, right. 60th and Fifth Avenue.
FL:
57th Street was three blocks away. But besides that, we lived together in another place in New
York, that I don‟t recall.
CV:
In what year would that have been?
82
FL:
That was in ‟46.
CV:
In ‟46.
FL:
Two years later I went to the Olympics in London, which my brother doesn‟t mention in the
book.
CV:
What?
FL:
I went to the Olympics in London.
CV:
Laundry? …London! Oh ok, I didn‟t understand.
FL:
London.
CV:
After New York? With Ernesto?
FL:
No, on the team representing Cuba in gymnastics.
CV:
Yes, that was in 1948.
FL:
Yes, ‟48. But before that I had been to Buenos Aires for the Olympics in Buenos Aires, and
Central American.
CV:
Pan-American Games. I‟ve seen a picture of you, which I can show you on the internet later,
don‟t know how you had so much strength holding on to the bar.
Did Ernesto ever see you do gymnastics?
FL:
No, he didn‟t care much for sports, that I know of. He always told me, “Feyayito, are you going
to the gym tomorrow?” Even if I was planning to, I would say, “no,” in case he needed me to
relay a message to someone or bring him a sandwich or something.
83
When he arrived in Havana, he always depended on me, which is why it struck me as odd that
my brother would write that book because he would almost never be with Ernesto. He was more
interested in being in his element, with the youth who said lots of bad words and played rumba.
We lived on Prado, and Prado and Colon three blocks away there were bordellos. They would
go to the restaurant next to my house at night to eat something, and there they would be in a table
6 or 7 of the kids singing…
CV:
And there Rafael would be…
FL:
Yes, he was the main one.
CV:
He was the playboy.
FL:
In those days I would fly to Madrid or Argentina with Cubana de Aviacion. I was with them for
seven years. Then when the Americans came to Havana to compete against Cuba, they gave my
brother a scholarship to attend Florida State.
So they asked me if I wanted to go as well, and I said, “I don‟t know,” because I was old for that.
Those on the team were seventeen or eighteen years old, while I was twenty-six or twenty-seven.
But I said, “ok, fine,” and I left. That was when my first daughter was being born. I saw her
born, and then I left to train in Key West in May until September. A few years before it was
only for women.
CV:
Yes, the girl‟s school and the other was in Gainesville, University of Florida.
FL:
So what I did was compete and mainly exhibition tournaments. I would go around Tallahassee
and Georgia—Augusta—I forget the names. There was a little placed called Havana.
CV:
And Thomasville?
FL:
All those little towns near Tallahassee, I would go do the exhibition tournaments, which wasn‟t
as rigorous as the competitions. In the exhibitions I did what I wanted and had more fun doing
it.
CV:
And you also went to Silver Springs, near Ocala? I‟ve seen pictures of that.
84
FL:
And every winter we would visit Ringling Brothers in Sarasota. In Sarasota, was it?
CV:
Well, now they‟re all over, but I think they started there.
FL:
In those days we went to Sarasota every year for six days. Don‟t know why I mentioned..
CV:
No, we were just chatting about this and that…
I also had a question about… I know we were talking about gymnastics, but he (Ernesto) didn‟t
teach you to play piano, or did he ever talk to you about his music, like “I write like this
because…”
FL:
One time, I went and said, “Uncle, can you play this song?”
“What is this,” he asked.
“It‟s my song.”
“Yours?” he repLied, in a surprised tone. “Let me see.”
And he played it. He then asked, “Why don‟t you have”—I forgot her name, a talented, elegant
mulatta soprano, as well. The song‟s title was “Talvez Mañana.”
CV:
That was your song?
FL:
My song. Ernesto sat at the piano on television, and she came and sang the song to me. I was
trembling!
CV:
What did he say about your music? That it was good?
FL:
That it was good, “Feyayito.”
Later, the next time like two years later, when Los Chavales de Espana and the Casino Sevilla
was at Tropicana, since I went to Spain in my trips, they would give me something to give to the
family.
85
CV:
Like, what did they want?
FL:
Little things. I‟ve forgotten. But I said, yes, I‟ll bring it, and then one of those times that I
brought something I was in the airplane looking at the sky while everyone was sleeping, because
back then the flight would take 36 hours.
CV:
36 hours from Cuba to Europe? To Spain?
FL:
Yes, in the winter, because we would have to go from Havana, to Brazil, then from Brazil cross
the Atlantic to Africa, and then from Africa fly up to Spain. Twelve, twelve, and twelve.
CV:
Wow, incredible. And now it can be done in eight hours.
FL:
When we got there quick, it would be in twenty-four.
So then I told Miguel Bodega, who was the singer, that I had a song thinking about the airplane
titled “Lucero” (shining star). Can you sing it for me? I did, and he said ok, it looks good. I‟m
going to show the orchestra so I can sing it. It was recorded on LP 48, to one of the small
records, and from there I recorded it to a CD. That‟s why it doesn‟t sound so great.
CV:
It sounds fine. But those concerts of “Lucero” were in Spain or Cuba?
FL:
Cuba. But they sang in Cuba but also took them to Spain. I haven‟t heard from them since.
CV:
Well, here I am to see if we can push them again.
FL:
What other song do you have? What other question do you have?
CV:
Let‟s take another break to change the tape.
FL: In High School, in different years, while we lived in Tallahassee, they were drum majors in
High School. And Paulinito, after my sister left him, he went and found a woman who would
visit the pianos. He worked in a piano shop as a piano salesman, and would play and play and
86
play the pianos. Anytime a merchant came, he would play the piano, and they would say, “oh
how nice, what kind of piano is that?” And that‟s how he sold pianos.
CV:
Ah, ok.
FL:
Then when he got tired of that, he came to live with me in my house for a year. And for giving
him a house and food because he had no money, he recorded many of, like forty-five of my
songs. I would play it with one finger, with five fingers, six fingers, sometimes would whistle it,
sometimes would sing it, and that way we began little-by-little recording them on small records.
Then I took them to a radio station so they could put them on CD. So when you hear the CDs,
you‟ll hear some by one person, others on piano, others by a lady, others by an orchestra, others
by a small group, others with good arrangements, others without. So, you will hear a bunch of
things. I wrote a woman who sang, who rented her voice in the newspaper for “if you want me
to sing and record your song, for $50…” so I got her and she sang two of my songs. She didn‟t
like them, but I did. There are high notes and like that…
I was talking about my cousin… so he was living with me two, no one year with me.
CV:
In Tallahassee…
FL:
No, here.
CV:
Since what year have you lived here?
FL:
Since ‟69. And this must have been in ‟70. Then he left to Tampa, I believe.
(Asking his wife) Paulito lived… Linda, Paul lived in Tampa? After he lived…
LINDA LECUONA:
Paulito or Paul?
FL:
Paul.
LL:
Your nephew?
FL:
No, my brother-in-law….my cousin.
87
LL:
Oh, the one that played piano? Tampa. Yeah he died in Tampa. He moved to Tampa. He died
there young.
FL:
And another question was, how many are still alive? Ernesto…um, Luis was the oldest--he died.
Elisa, Paul‟s mother, who was a great pianist, died. Ernestina, who followed Elisa, was also a
great pianist, she died. Teodoro, the boss, the president of National City Bank of Havana, died.
Pepe, who liked cock fighting, of the Club Gallistico de La Habana, died. Who else? Well,
they‟ve all died.
CV:
Yes, it‟s been a long time…
88
APPENDIX E
89
ACADEMIC RELEASE FOR ART SONGS OF ERNESTO LECUONA
I, FERNANDO LECUONA, as a legal executor of the Ernesto Lecuona Estate, am
authorized and hereby consent to give CHRlSTINA VILLAVERDE permission to print and
include copies of Ernesto Lecuona's 5 art songs in her Doctoral Treatise titled The Art Songs of
Ernesto Lecuona, for academic purposes. The 5 songs based on poetry by Juana De lbarbourou
are titled as follows : Cancion del amor triste, Quiero ser hombre, Senor jardinero, La senora
luna and Balada de amor.
Upon information and belief, these songs were published outside of the United States, are
out of print and the existing copies are of poor quality. Therefore, I further authorize
CHRISTINA VILLAVERDE the right to reproduce a copy of these works using the
latest technology for music composition (i.e. Finale Music Composing and Notation Software),
in order to enhance and improve the clarity of the manuscript.
Lastly I hereby authorize and give CHRISTINA VILLA VERDE permission to include
and refer to musical passages and musical examples of the 5 art songs as needed within the body
ofthe Doctoral Treatise mentioned above. The legal Estate ofErnesto Lecuona will be entitled
to receive a copy of any reproduction of said manuscript, upon request.
90
INTERVIEW RELEASE FORM
I, FERNANDO LECUONA, as indicated by my signature below, hereby authorize and
consent to being interviewed, videotaped, aud io taped and photographed by CHRISTINA
VILLAVERDE, (hereinafter referred to as "Ms. Villaverde") on June 24 1h, 20 II in my personal
residence in conjunction with her Doctoral Treatise titled: The Art Songs of Ernesto Lecuona.
Informat ion gathered during this interview will be categorized and transcribed to be used as
reference material within the body of the Treatise document. The completed Treatise will be
used toward partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Music through the
College of Music at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.
I understand that I am being interviewed because as the nephew of Ernesto Lecuona, the
composer on whom the treatise subject is based, I provide a unique, personal perspective on the
life ofthe composer. I understand that questions asked of me during this interview process wi ll
pertain to my personal interaction with, and the life and music of, my uncle Ernesto Lecuona,
and that I may, at my own discretion, elaborate beyond the stated subject. I understand that the
interview should take no more than three (3) hours, and I reserve the right to extend the
interview, or request another date to continue the interview. I further understand that at any
moment during the interview process, I reserve lhe fo llowing addit ional rights : to not answer
certain questions; to not answer any further questions; to postpone and reschedule the interview;
and to conclude the interview altogether.
I further understand that the video and audio footage of me and, if applicable, my wife,
LINDA LECUONA and transcripts (iftranscribed) will be maintained and made available
indefinitely to Ms. Villaverde for said research along with lecture recitals, music conferences,
classroom teaching and educational purposes as delermined by Ms. Villaverde.
91
92
93
Fernando Lecuona and Christina Diane Villaverde in his Florida home, June 24th, 2011.
Figure 48
94
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books:
Caicedo, Patricia. The Latin American Art Song: A Critical Anthology and Interpretive Guide
for Singers. Barcelona: Tritó, 2005.
Cairo, Jesús Gómez. Economia y colonia: la economía cubana y la relación con España, 1765-
1902. La Habana: Letras Cubanas, 2005.
Carpentier, Alejo. Music in Cuba. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2001.
Cordoba, Diego. Presencia y poemas de Juana de Ibarborou. Mexico: D.F., 1954.
De Ibarbourou, Juana. Obras Completas. Madrid: Aguilar, 1960.

Grenet, Emilio. Popular Cuban Music. Havana: Republic of Cuba, 1929.
Lecuona, Rafael A. Ernesto Lecuona: the Genius and his Music. Spain: R.A. Lecuona
Enterprises, 2004.
Marting, Diane E. Woman Writers of Spanish America: An Annotated Bio-Bibliographical
Guide. New York: Greenwood Press, 1990.
Rosenbaum, Sidonia Carmen. Modern women poets of Spanish America: the precursors,
Delmira Agustini, Gabriela Mistral, Alfonsina Storni, Juana de Ibarbourou. New York:
Cocce Press, 1945.
Strimple, Nick. Choral Music in the 20th Century. New Jersey, USA: Amadeus Press, LLC,
2002.
Sublette, Ned. Cuban and It’s Music. Chicago: Chicago Review Press, 2004.
Wall, Joan, Robert Caldwell, Tracy Gavialanes and Sheila Allen. Diction for Singers: A Concise
Reference for English, Italian, Latin, German and Spanish pronunciation. Dallas:
Pst…Inc., 1990.
Zanetti, Oscar and Alejandro García. Sugar & Railroads: A Cuban History, 1837-1959. Chapel
Hill: North Carolina Press, 1998.
Journal Articles/Newspaper Articles:

Draayer, Suzanne Rhodes. “Seductively Spanish: Programming ideas for Spanish Song
Repertoire.” Journal of Singing 67, no.5 (May/June 2011): 523-535.
Johnson, Lawrence A. “Rediscovering the „Cuban Gershwin.‟” Sun Sentinel (July 15, 2001).
95
Tatum, Terrell Louise. “The Music of the Spains: The Lands of Melody, Gaiety, Dancing,
Chivalry and Song.” The Etude (May 1935): 265-266.
Dissertations:
Jacobson, Gloria Castiel. The Life and Music of Ernesto Lecuona. Gainesville, FL: University
of Florida, 1982.
Shih-Yu, Jade Pai. Discovering Musical Characteristics of Children’s Songs from Various Parts
of the World. B.Sc., Queen‟s University, 2005
Piano/Vocal Collections:
Domingo, Plácido. Always in My Heart, Siempre en mi Corazón: The Songs of Ernesto
Lecuona. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1997.
Tirino, Thomas Y. Valses de Concierto (Concert Waltzes) for piano. Milwaukee, WI: Hal
Leonard Corporation, 2002.
Recordings:
Lecuona, Ernesto. Cancíon Cubana. Emelina López, Alberto Joya. Piccolo Tif. 918515420-
609559356, 1995. Compact disc.
Lecuona, Ernesto. Su Música y sus Intérpretes. Alfredo Kraus, Esther Borja, Bola de Nieve
among others. Montilla Records CDL-13074, digitally re-mastered, 1997.
Lecuona: Ernesto and Ernestina. Clélia Iruzun. Lorelt LNT119, 2005. Compact disc.
Interview:
Castillo McNab, Maria. Cuban poet, born in Lecouna‟s hometown of Guanabacoa, Cuba,
Miami, Florida Interview. July 5, 2011.
Lecuona, Fernando. Ernesto Lecuona‟s nephew, Florida Interview. June 24 2011.
Internet/World Wide Website:

Ernesto Lecuona, “The Composer of Malagueña.”
http://www.lecuona.com/#Biography (accessed October 13, 2011).
96
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR
Lyric soprano Christina Diane Villaverde,

is a native of Miami, Florida of both Cuban
and Irish heritage. She has dazzled
audiences with her full rich tone and
vivacious stage portrayals. Ms. Villaverde
made her professional debut as Rosalinda in
Die Fledermaus with Light Opera Works in
Evanston, Illinois. She won recognition for
her moving interpretation of the title
character in Carlisle Floyd‟s Susannah for
the 50th Anniversary Performance of its
debut with the Florida State Opera, under
direct tutelage of the composer himself.
Other major roles include Nedda in I Pagliacci, Musetta in La bohème, Female Chorus in The
Rape of Lucretia, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito, Romilda in
Xerxes and Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare. Other prominent companies include Lyric Opera of
Chicago, Asheville Lyric Opera and Opera Nova (San Jose, Costa Rica).
A sought-after recitalist, Ms. Villaverde specializes in Spanish repertoire and performed
throughout Costa Rica in 2011 as a guest soloist after being awarded the Costa Rican
Intercultural Recital Tour by Florida State University and Centro Cultural of Costa Rica. She
holds a Bachelor‟s Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Miami, a Master‟s
Degree and Doctorate Degree in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from the Florida State
University College of Music where she studied with renowned tenor and eminent scholar
Stanford Olsen.
During her career, Ms. Villaverde has worked with acclaimed soprano Diana Soviero,
renowned stage directors Bernard Uzan and Tito Capobianco, and has performed under the
direction of Maestros Stewart Robertson, Ivan Törzs and Timothy Myers. Ms. Villaverde is
currently Assistant Professor of Music at Samford University in Birmingham, AL.
97

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Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School

Cinco Canciones con Versos de Juana de

CINCO CANCIONES CON VERSOS DE JUANA DE IBARBOUROU:

THE ART SONG STYLE OF ERNESTO LECUONA

CHRISTINA DIANE VILLAVERDE

A Treatise submitted to the

The members of the supervisory committee were:

1. ORIGINS OF MUSIC IN CUBA………………………………………………………. 1

2. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF ERNESTO LECUONA……………………………... 5

3. MUSICAL GENRES IN LECUONA‟S SONGS………………………………………. 19

5. CINCO CANCIONES CON VERSOS DE JUANA DE IBARBOUROU……………….. 20

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR………………………………………… 94

I. Songs (Ernesto Lecuona)

II. Piano (arr. by Thomas Tirino)

1. Vals maravilloso, 78-82

III. Art Songs (Ernesto Lecuona)

Cinco canciones con versos de Juana de Ibarbourou

Figure 1 Photo of Lecuona, the Composer at Work c. 1930 3

Figure 2 Photo of Lecuona, album publicity of Lecuona playing his songs, 10

Figure 3 Ernesto Lecuona, “Malagueña,” mm. 27-32 (Example of Spanish 11

Figure 4 Example of a cinquillo rhythm 12

Figure 5 Ernesto Lecuona, “Noche Azul,” mm. 1-6 13

Figure 6 Example of “Cuban Habanera” rhythm 13

Figure 7 Ernestina Lecuona, “¿Me odias?” mm. 1-19 14

Figure 9 Ernesto Lecuona, “La comparsa,” mm. 1-20 16

Figure 10 Photo of the poet, Juana de Ibarbourou, c. 1920 18

Figure 11 “Death toll motive,” m.1 21

Figure 12 “Wind motive,” mm. 6-8 21

Figure 13 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 9-14 23

Figure 14 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 16-19 23

Figure 15 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 20-27 23

Figure 16 “Bird motive” 24

Figure 17 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 28-35 24

Figure 18 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 60-67 25

Figure 19 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” mm. 68-75 25

Figure 20 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 78 26

Figure 21 Ernesto Lecuona, “Canción del amor triste,” m. 79 26

Figure 23 “Man motive,” mm. 1-3 28

Figure 24 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 8-14 29

Figure 25 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 16-22 29

Figure 26 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 28-38 30

Figure 27 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” m. 39 31

Figure 28 Ernesto Lecuona, “Quiero ser hombre,” mm. 59-62 31

Figure 29 “Child motive” 32

Figure 30 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 3-5 32

Figure 31 Ernesto Lecuona, “Señor jardinero,” mm. 8-17 33

Figure 32 “Sigh motive” 34

Figure 33 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” mm. 22-23 35

Figure 34 Ernesto Lecuona, “Vals maravilloso,” mm. 78-82 35

Figure 35 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” m.9 36

Figure 36 “Wedding motive” 36

Figure 37 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” m.18-25 37

Figure 38 Ernesto Lecuona, “La señora luna,” mm. 33-34 38

Figure 39 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 3 39

Figure 40 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 7 39

Figure 41 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 10 40

Figure 42 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 16-20 41

Figure 43 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 23-25 41

Figure 44 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” m. 26 42

Figure 46 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 32-40 43

Figure 47 Ernesto Lecuona, “Balada de amor,” mm. 50-53 43

Figure 48 Photo of Fernando Lecuona and Christina Diane Villaverde 94