5.1 Dance music

Renaissance dance music evolved from medieval traditions into a refined art form during the 15th and 16th centuries. Courtly culture played a significant role in shaping these dances, reflecting social hierarchies and etiquette of the time.

Various dance types emerged, from slow and stately to lively and energetic. Basse danse featured slow, gliding steps, while haute danse incorporated energetic movements. Paired dances like pavane and galliard created balance and variety in performances.

Origins of Renaissance dance

• Renaissance dance emerged from medieval traditions, evolving into a refined art form during the 15th and 16th centuries
• Courtly culture played a significant role in shaping Renaissance dance, reflecting social hierarchies and etiquette of the time

Medieval dance traditions

• Carole dances originated in medieval times, featuring circular formations and simple steps
• Estampie emerged as a popular medieval dance form, characterized by its lively rhythms and instrumental accompaniment
• Religious processions and festivals incorporated dance elements, blending sacred and secular traditions
• Minstrels and troubadours played a crucial role in preserving and disseminating dance music

Influence of courtly culture

• Italian courts, particularly in Florence and Milan, became centers for dance innovation and refinement
• Courtly etiquette manuals (Il Cortegiano by Baldassare Castiglione) emphasized the importance of dance in noble education
• Patronage of wealthy nobles supported the development of new dance forms and music compositions
• Dance masters emerged as influential figures, teaching proper technique and choreography to courtiers

Types of Renaissance dances

• Renaissance dances encompassed a wide variety of styles, from slow and stately to lively and energetic
• Dance forms often existed in pairs, with contrasting tempos and movements to create balance and variety

Basse danse vs haute danse

• Basse danse (low dance) featured slow, gliding steps and dignified movements
  • Characterized by its grounded nature, with feet remaining close to the floor
  • Often performed in processional formations or couples moving side by side
• Haute danse (high dance) incorporated more energetic movements and leaps
  • Included jumps, hops, and quick footwork
  • Typically performed after the basse danse as a lively contrast

Pavane and galliard

• Pavane originated in Italy, known for its slow, stately processional character
  • Typically in duple meter (2/2 or 4/4 time)
  • Often paired with the faster galliard in dance suites
• Galliard developed as a lively counterpart to the pavane
  • Characterized by its sprightly triple meter and intricate footwork
  • Featured the cinq pas (five steps) pattern, concluding with a leap or cadence

Allemande and courante

• Allemande originated in Germany, featuring a moderate tempo and duple meter
  • Dancers moved in a line or column formation, with intricate hand-holding patterns
  • Often served as the opening dance in instrumental suites
• Courante, of French origin, existed in two distinct forms
  • Italian corrente: fast triple meter with running steps
  • French courante: slower, more majestic style in 3/2 time

Characteristics of dance music

• Renaissance dance music closely aligned with the physical movements and structure of the dances
• Composers created pieces that supported the dancers' steps while also providing musical interest

Rhythmic patterns

• Emphasized strong beats to guide dancers' movements and maintain synchronization
• Incorporated hemiola rhythms (alternating between duple and triple meter) in some dance forms
• Utilized syncopation and cross-rhythms to add complexity and interest to the music
• Rhythmic patterns often corresponded to specific dance steps or figures

Instrumentation for dance

• Alta capella ensembles featured loud instruments suitable for outdoor performances
  • Included shawms, sackbuts, and percussion instruments
• Soft consorts used for indoor court dances
  • Consisted of viols, lutes, recorders, and other quiet instruments
• Solo instruments (lute, keyboard) often provided dance music for smaller gatherings or practice sessions

Tempo and meter

• Basse danses typically used slow tempos and duple meter (2/2 or 4/4 time)
• Galliards and other lively dances employed faster tempos and triple meter (3/4 or 6/8 time)
• Some dance forms (allemande) incorporated tempo changes within a single piece
• Meter often corresponded to specific dance steps (e.g., pavane's simple duple meter matching the basic step pattern)

Dance music composition

• Renaissance composers developed various techniques to create engaging and functional dance music
• The interplay between fixed musical elements and improvisation played a crucial role in dance music performance

Role of improvisation

• Musicians often embellished written melodies with ornaments and diminutions
• Dancers sometimes improvised steps or variations within the framework of established choreographies
• Basse danse tenors served as a foundation for improvised upper voices
• Skilled performers could create entire dance pieces through spontaneous improvisation

Notation systems

• Tablature notation developed for lute and other plucked string instruments
• Mensural notation used for vocal and instrumental music, indicating rhythm and pitch
• Dance-specific notation systems emerged (Thoinot Arbeau's Orchésographie) combining music and choreography
• Early attempts at choreographic notation (Cervera Manuscript) recorded dance steps and formations

Basse danse tenors

• Served as the musical foundation for basse danse compositions
• Consisted of long note values in the lowest voice, often derived from popular melodies or chant tunes
• Composers built polyphonic textures above the tenor, creating elaborate musical settings
• Well-known tenors (La Spagna, Jouyssance vous donneray) used repeatedly by different composers

Social context of dance

• Dance played a significant role in Renaissance society, reflecting social hierarchies and cultural values
• Different dance forms and styles emerged for various social classes and occasions

Court dances vs peasant dances

• Court dances emphasized grace, elegance, and complex choreographies
  • Included basse danses, pavanes, and galliards
  • Required formal training and adherence to strict etiquette
• Peasant dances featured simpler steps and more energetic movements
  • Included circle dances, branles, and country dances
  • Often incorporated elements of folk traditions and local customs

Gender roles in dance

• Many court dances required male and female partners, reinforcing social norms
• Some dances (pavane) featured separate male and female sections or variations
• Basse danses often began with men leading their female partners by the hand
• Galliards provided opportunities for male dancers to display athleticism and skill

Dance as political expression

• Elaborate court ballets served as propaganda tools for monarchs (Ballet Comique de la Reine, 1581)
• Masques in England combined dance, music, and theater to convey political messages
• Dance diplomacy emerged as a way to foster international relations and cultural exchange
• Specific dances (volta) sometimes faced criticism or bans due to perceived impropriety

Notable composers and works

• Several Renaissance composers and theorists made significant contributions to dance music
• Their works provide valuable insights into the performance practices and social context of Renaissance dance

Thoinot Arbeau's Orchésographie

• Published in 1589, this treatise combined dance instruction with musical notation
• Provided detailed descriptions of popular dances (pavane, galliard, branle)
• Included illustrations of dance steps and formations
• Offered insights into the social context and etiquette of Renaissance dance

Michael Praetorius' dance collections

• Terpsichore (1612) contained over 300 instrumental dance pieces
• Included arrangements of popular dances from various European countries
• Provided valuable information on instrumentation and performance practices
• Preserved many dance melodies that might otherwise have been lost

Tielman Susato's dance publications

• Flemish composer and publisher active in the mid-16th century
• Danserye (1551) contained arrangements of popular dances for instrumental ensemble
• Published numerous collections of dance music, including pavanes, galliards, and allemandes
• His works contributed to the standardization and dissemination of dance music across Europe

Influence on instrumental music

• Renaissance dance forms had a lasting impact on the development of instrumental music
• Composers began to explore the musical potential of dance forms beyond their functional role

Dance suites

• Emerged as a collection of contrasting dance movements performed as a cohesive musical work
• Typically began with a slow dance (allemande) followed by faster movements (courante, sarabande, gigue)
• Provided a framework for composers to explore different keys, rhythms, and textures
• Influenced the development of multi-movement instrumental forms in the Baroque era

Variation techniques

• Composers used dance melodies as the basis for elaborate instrumental variations
• Techniques included ornamentation, rhythmic alteration, and contrapuntal treatment of themes
• Popular variation forms (passamezzo, romanesca) based on recurring harmonic patterns
• Variation techniques in dance music influenced the development of theme and variation form

Development of instrumental forms

• Dance-inspired rhythms and structures influenced the emergence of new instrumental genres
• Canzona incorporated elements of chanson and dance music into instrumental compositions
• Ricercar and fantasia forms explored contrapuntal possibilities within dance-like frameworks
• Early sonata forms drew inspiration from the contrasting tempos and characters of dance suites

Regional variations

• Renaissance dance music developed distinct regional styles across Europe
• Cultural exchange and the circulation of dance manuals led to cross-pollination of ideas

Italian Renaissance dances

• Ballo emerged as a choreographed court dance combining elements of basse danse and haute danse
• Saltarello, a lively triple-meter dance, gained popularity in Italy and spread to other regions
• Italian dance masters (Domenico da Piacenza, Guglielmo Ebreo) wrote influential treatises on dance technique

French court dances

• Developed elaborate choreographies and etiquette for court balls and masquerades
• Branle, a circle or line dance, originated in France and spread throughout Europe
• French dance terms and styles became increasingly influential in the late Renaissance

English country dances

• Characterized by their communal nature and relatively simple steps
• Often performed in longways sets with multiple couples
• Playford's The English Dancing Master (1651) preserved many country dance tunes and instructions

Legacy of Renaissance dance music

• Renaissance dance forms and music continued to influence Western classical music for centuries
• Modern interest in historical performance has led to renewed appreciation for Renaissance dance

Impact on Baroque dance forms

• Many Renaissance dances evolved into standardized Baroque suite movements
• French court ballet developed from Renaissance masques and Italian intermedi
• Baroque composers continued to draw inspiration from dance rhythms and structures

Modern reconstructions

• Historical dance troupes perform reconstructed Renaissance choreographies
• Early music ensembles specialize in authentic performance of Renaissance dance music
• Interdisciplinary research combines musicology, dance history, and cultural studies

Cultural significance

• Renaissance dance music provides insights into social structures and cultural values of the period
• Study of dance forms enhances understanding of Renaissance musical style and composition techniques
• Dance traditions from the Renaissance continue to influence modern social and theatrical dance forms