habanera rhythm
Spanish/Cuban composer
Definition
A syncopated rhythmic pattern in 2/4 time: a dotted eighth, sixteenth, then two eighths. The defining pulse of the habanera and a pervasive undercurrent throughout Lecuona's Cuban pieces.
Interpretive Guidance
Keep the dotted figure crisp and unhurried — resist rushing the sixteenth note. The pattern should feel like a slow, inevitable sway rather than a lilting dance.