ANALYSIS OF OLD DANCES
1. Sarabande.—[3/2]
[3/4]
lento. Rhythm
[3/2: 2 ^2. 4 | 2 2].
Form 1, sometimes Form 2. This is of Spanish
origin (Saracen dance), and is generally accompanied by
variations called partita or doubles.
2. Musette
(cornemusa or bagpipe).—[3/4]
[2/4]
allegretto.
Form 1. Always written over or under a pedal note,
which is generally sustained to the end. It generally
forms the second part (not period) to the gavotte.
3. Gavotte.—[4/4]
allegro moderato.
Rhythm
[4/4: 4 4 | 4 8 8 4 4]
or
[4 8 8 | 4 4 4 4].
Always commences on the third beat. Form 3 or 5.
When accompanied by a musette, the gavotte is always
repeated.
4. Bourree.—[C/2]
allegro. Rhythm
[C/2: 8 8 | 4 4 4 8 8].
Form 3 or 5. Generally faster than the gavotte, and
commences on the fourth beat.
5. Rigaudon.—Similar to the bourrée, but slower.
6. Loure.—Similar to the bourrée, but slower. (In
French the verb lourer means “to hold,” which may have
been a characteristic of the loure bass).
7. Tambourin.—[C/2]
allegro. In form and rhythm like
the gavotte, but faster. Usually founded on a rhythmic
pedal note imitating a tambourine.
8. Corrente,
Courante.—[3/4]
allegretto.
Rhythm
[3/4: 8 8 8 | 8 8 8 8 8 8]
or
[3/4: 8 | 8 8 8 8 8 8]
(does not usually commence on the beat). Form 1,
sometimes Form 2. The rhythm is usually uniform, a
kind of perpetual motion, though not in one voice.
9. Minuet.—[3/4]
generally a little slower than moderato,
although in later minuets the tempo became allegretto.
Rhythm, generally,
[3/4: >(4 | 4) 4 4 | 4 8 8 8 8] etc.
Old
minuets often began on the first beat. Form 4; the
third and fourth periods being generally in a different
mode from the first and second periods, and called Trio or
Minuet 2. Minuets exist also without the Trio, and are
in Form 1 or 2.
10. Chaconne.—[3/4]
moderato. Form undecided; has
sometimes even only one period, sometimes three or two.
It is generally accompanied by doubles or variations, and
is invariably written on a ground bass or basso ostinato.
The rhythm is often syncopated.
Passacaille,
[3/4],
resembles a chaconne but is more
stately.
11. Waltz
(old German).—[3/4]
andante moderato.
Generally Form 6. Rhythm
[3/4: 4. 8 8. 16 | 8 8 4 8 8]
approximately.
12. March.—[4/4]
allegro moderato.
Rhythm
[4/4: 8. 16 | 4 8. 16 4 4 | 2. 3(8 8 8)] etc.,
or
[4 | 4 8. 16 4 4] etc.
Form 6. Generally all the periods are
repeated and consist of eight measures each; third and
fourth periods change the key and rhythm.
13. Allemande.—[4/4]
moderato. Rhythm generally
uniform sixteenth notes. Form 1.
14. Passepied.—Quick minuet.
15. Pavane, Padvana,
or Pavo (peacock).—[4/4]
andante
moderato. Rhythm
[4/4: 4 8. 16 4. 8 | 8 8 8 8 2].
Form 2 or 6. Sometimes [2/4];
third and fourth periods in
different keys.
16. Gigue.—[2/4]
[6/8]
[3/4]
[3/8]
[9/8]
[12/8]
presto. Rhythm generally
uniform eighth notes. Forms 1 and 2.
17. Polonaise.—[3/4].
Rhythm [3/4: 8 16 16 8 16 16 4] or
[16 16 8 16 16 8 4] allegro. Form 1, generally with short coda.
