Suite Ernestina

Movements

1. Costurera (“Dressmaker”) 
2. De algun modo (“Somehow”) 
3. Cancion de cuna para seis (“Lullaby for Six”) 
4. Zamba negra (“Black Samba”) 

“Composed in 2011, Suite Ernestina is dedicated to Ernestina Vargas de Saboya, the composer’s grandmother, and was written for the guitarist Daniel Saboya, his brother. The title of the first movement Costurera (Seamstress) pays homage to one of Ernestina’s frequent activities. The second movement, De algún modo (Somehow) is based on the guabina, a traditional rhythmic dance of the Colombian interior. Its theme is from one of the composer’s earlier works for a typical Colombian trio of the Andean region, comprising bandola, tiple, and guitar. 

“The title of the third movement, Canción de cuna para seis (Cradle Song for Six), refers to Ernestina’s sons and daughters. The final movement, Zamba Negra (Black Zamba), is an Argentinian zamba evoking the African elements of Latin-American folkloric music. There is a small quote here from Manuel Ponce’s Sonatina Meridional and also an allusion to Danza Negra from Antonio Lauro’s Suite Venezolana. This is a fast zamba and includes virtuosic scale passages, harmonic modulations, and melodies characteristic of the continent’s southern folkloric music.”

Lucas Saboya’s program notes for Suite Ernestina¹

1. Quoted in Graham Wade, liner notes to Guitar Music of Colombia, José Antonio Escobar, Naxos 8.573059, CD, 2015.