Phase 1: History
2. Baroque: Dance Suite
2. Baroque: Dance Suite
Summary:
• The Dance Suite typically consisted of:
1) Prelude
2) Allemande
3) Sarabande
4) Gigue
• Suite BWV 996 also contains a Bouree that is very popular on guitar
Prelude
• In the form of a French Overture
- Begins with a slow and stately section with many dotted rhythms
- These dotted rhythms can be brought to life by overdotting
- Concludes with a faster fugal section
- It's important to know what voice to bring out and what articulation to use
Allemande
• The first of the dance movements, which are typically in binary (or rounded binary) form
• "A serious and well-composed harmoniousness in arpeggiated style, expressing satisfaction or amusement, and delighting in ordered and calm" --- Mattheson
• This Allemande is in stile brise (broken style), an arpeggiated texture with irrelgular phrases and patterns.
- It's important to sustain the notes for each harmony in order to enhance the stile brise effect.
Courante
• Translates to "running" as it involved running and jumping steps
• "The measure of the Courante or rather the rhythm of the Courante dance is the most solemn of any." Walther
• There are two types: French (Courante) and Italian (Corrente)
- French: Slow and graceful, featuring many dotted rhythms and hemiolas
- Italian: Fast and energetic with few dotted rhythms
• Notes Inégales: like swing in jazz music
- The quavers are notated straight, but should be playing with a slight inequality
Sarabande
• A slow dance in triple meter that involves intensity, impassioned harmony and contemplative inwardness.
• "Sarabande: a soft passionate movement, always set to a slow triple meter... apt to move the passions and to disturb the tranquility of the mind." --- Talbot
• The 2nd or 3rd beats are often accented
• Slow melodic movements are often heavily ornamented. They should be played lightly.
Bourée
• A fast and lively dance in duple time
• The articulation can be short and light overall
• "Bourée: played gayly and with a short and light bow-stroke" --- Quantz
Gigue
• A lively dance that originated in Ireland (jig)
• Normally in compound time (3/8, 6/8, 9/8, or 12/8)
• French Gigue: Slow and graceful
• Italian Giga: Fast with straight rhythms
• Ensure that you don't get caught up in the semiquavers - feel the big beats clearly
• Dynamics: follow the shape of the line
- Rising melody = crescendo
- Falling melody = decrescendo
• The Dance Suite typically consisted of:
1) Prelude
2) Allemande
3) Sarabande
4) Gigue
• Suite BWV 996 also contains a Bouree that is very popular on guitar
Prelude
• In the form of a French Overture
- Begins with a slow and stately section with many dotted rhythms
- These dotted rhythms can be brought to life by overdotting
- Concludes with a faster fugal section
- It's important to know what voice to bring out and what articulation to use
Allemande
• The first of the dance movements, which are typically in binary (or rounded binary) form
• "A serious and well-composed harmoniousness in arpeggiated style, expressing satisfaction or amusement, and delighting in ordered and calm" --- Mattheson
• This Allemande is in stile brise (broken style), an arpeggiated texture with irrelgular phrases and patterns.
- It's important to sustain the notes for each harmony in order to enhance the stile brise effect.
Courante
• Translates to "running" as it involved running and jumping steps
• "The measure of the Courante or rather the rhythm of the Courante dance is the most solemn of any." Walther
• There are two types: French (Courante) and Italian (Corrente)
- French: Slow and graceful, featuring many dotted rhythms and hemiolas
- Italian: Fast and energetic with few dotted rhythms
• Notes Inégales: like swing in jazz music
- The quavers are notated straight, but should be playing with a slight inequality
Sarabande
• A slow dance in triple meter that involves intensity, impassioned harmony and contemplative inwardness.
• "Sarabande: a soft passionate movement, always set to a slow triple meter... apt to move the passions and to disturb the tranquility of the mind." --- Talbot
• The 2nd or 3rd beats are often accented
• Slow melodic movements are often heavily ornamented. They should be played lightly.
Bourée
• A fast and lively dance in duple time
• The articulation can be short and light overall
• "Bourée: played gayly and with a short and light bow-stroke" --- Quantz
Gigue
• A lively dance that originated in Ireland (jig)
• Normally in compound time (3/8, 6/8, 9/8, or 12/8)
• French Gigue: Slow and graceful
• Italian Giga: Fast with straight rhythms
• Ensure that you don't get caught up in the semiquavers - feel the big beats clearly
• Dynamics: follow the shape of the line
- Rising melody = crescendo
- Falling melody = decrescendo
Action Points:
Please write brief reflections for each movement
Prelude
1. Listen to the two recordings below. Discuss the following:
a) What are your thoughts about the lute recording? Does it align with the information you've learned? Is it different to most guitar recordings?
b) Can you identify the features of a French Overture in the second recording? How are those features performed? Does hearing this piece influence how you think about Bach's Prelude?
Please write brief reflections for each movement
Prelude
1. Listen to the two recordings below. Discuss the following:
a) What are your thoughts about the lute recording? Does it align with the information you've learned? Is it different to most guitar recordings?
b) Can you identify the features of a French Overture in the second recording? How are those features performed? Does hearing this piece influence how you think about Bach's Prelude?
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Allemande
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, phrasing, and the characteristics of an Allemande as described.
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, phrasing, and the characteristics of an Allemande as described.
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Courante
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, articulation phrasing, and the characteristics of a Courante as described. In particular, comment on the use of note inegal.
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, articulation phrasing, and the characteristics of a Courante as described. In particular, comment on the use of note inegal.
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Sarabande
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, phrasing, and the characteristics of a Sarabande as described.
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of tempo, ornaments, phrasing, and the characteristics of a Sarabande as described.
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Bourée
1. Listen to the recordings below and compare their overall character. Which one comes closer to using the information provided about the Bourée?
1. Listen to the recordings below and compare their overall character. Which one comes closer to using the information provided about the Bourée?
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Gigue
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of accent, ornamentation, phrasing, and the characteristics of a Gigue as described.
1. Listen to the recordings below and share your thoughts. Compare the two in terms of accent, ornamentation, phrasing, and the characteristics of a Gigue as described.
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| 2._baroque_dance_suite.pdf |