Beginning Baroque - Boxwood 2013

The Baroque Suite: Allemande - Courante - Sarabande - Other(s) - Gigue With quotes from Johann Matthesons (1 !1-1" #) Der vollkommene Kapellmeister (1"$%) Allemande& German'( 1 th Centur' A round dan)e of moderate tem*o( often artfull' ornamented and of a solemn )hara)ter+ ,t is mostl' in #-# meter( and is usuall' the most st'li.ed dan)e in the suite+ /uring the 1!th )entur'( the allemande had alread' )ome to be )onsidered old fashioned+

0he allemande is a bro1en( serious( and 2ell-)onstru)ted harmon'( offering the *i)ture of a satisfied or
friendl' mind 2hi)h en3o's orderliness and quiet+4 Courante/Corrente& 5ran)e( 1 th )entur' 0he )ourante is the dan)e of noble so)iet'+ ,ts mostl' in odd meter - $-# or $-6+ O))asional )hanges to -# (i+e+ hemiola) result in great rh'thmi) animation+ +++b' )ontinuous 2al1ing+++but in su)h a 2a' that things ha**en gentl' and gra)efull'+++for there is something heart'( demanding( also something en3o'able in this melod'+4 Sarabande& S*ain-Me7i)o( 1 th )entur' 0he sarabande 2as initiall' )ondemned for its immoral( sedu)ti8e )hara)ter( but 2as e8entuall' )onsidered - not mu)h later - 2orth' of being introdu)ed in 1 1! at the S*anish )ourt( and in 1 69 at the 5ren)h )ourt+ :* to 1 9;( it 2as *la'ed in a li8el'( e8en boisterous manner+ Graduall'( it transformed into a slo2( dignified dan)e+ ,t has tri*le meter( 2ithout u*beat< long notes are ri)hl' embellished+ 0he frequent stress on the se)ond beat is one of its most stri1ing features+ 0herefore( it does not e7*ress an' other emotion but re8eren)e+4 Minuet& 5ran)e 1 th )entur' Originall' )alled branle mener. 0he minuet 2as introdu)ed at the 5ren)h )ourt during the reign of =ouis >,?+ ,t soon e)li*sed all other dan)es b' its elegan)e and noble sim*li)it'+ ,t is 2ritten in tri*le meter and 2as *la'ed during the baroque era in moderate to qui)1 tem*o+ @o other effe)t but moderate gaiet'+ ,n the 8er' smallest minuets( beaut' and gra)e must ne8er be absent+4 igue/!ig& Angland( late 1 th )entur' 0he gigue is )hara)terised b' its )om*ound meter (i+e+ -!( %-!( 16-!)+ With *ra)ti)all' uninterru*ted motion( the gigue ma1es a fitting )lose to the Baroque suite+ Co2 fresh and s2ift+++a heated and fugiti8e .eal( a rage 2hi)h *asses qui)1l'+4