The first movement, as Ginastera himself explained, "play non-legato where slurs are not written, and martellato where the dynamics are loud," strikingly contrasts the valiant and percussive sound characteristic of the Malambo with the simple and lyrical melody reminiscent of the tranquility of the Pampa. Such performance techniques, along with parallel thirds, superimposed fourths, and rapidly changing meters, are common characteristics found in Ginastera's works.