|
I came upon the need for the following definitions in researching a tune called
Crested Hens I had learned from a Solas CD. When I played it at both a
session at the Upper Potomac Dulcimer Fest and, later, at a local weekly
session, the response to it was so great that I researched it a bit more than I
had before.
In the information I gathered in this research, I found the
piece had been written originally as a bourée. Not knowing what a
bourée was, I looked it up and ran across some other terms for which I thought
it might be good to have definitions.
In addition, I took a workshop on Swedish Tunes, and we learn a couple of Polskas.
(Yes, it is spelled right - not Polka, Polska.) So, I have included some
info on Polskas, also. (All quotes are from the New Harvard
Dictionary of Music.) So, here they are - some dance names
and general tune terms --
\Info on Jigs is mostly from the PINECONE Irish Session Book.
- Bourée -
"A lively, fluent Baroque dance movement in duple meter and binary form. It
usually has four-measure phrases in cut time (or 2), a quarter-note upbeat,
dactylic figures in quarters and eighths, and syncopation in quarters and
halves (especially in the second and fourth measures of the phrases). Like a
rigaudon, it is moderately quick, faster than a gavotte." And we
all know how fast a gavotte is, don't we?
"The folk dance, in duple or triple meter, is still cultivated, especially
in the Auvergne region of France." The use of the word
"especially" leaves it open for the folk dance to be cultivated in
other places.
- Gavotte -
"A gracious Baroque dance movement in duple meter. Usually it has
4-measure phrases that begin and end in the middle of the bar, and it's meter
is cut time (or 2). It uses simple rhythmic motives and does not often
have syncopation or other complications. It is generally moderate or
sprightly in tempo, but slower than a bourrée or rigaudon.
"The gavotte is still known as a folk dance in Brittany."
It should not be confused with later 17th-century classical forms.
- Rigaudon (or rigodon) -
"A cheerful Baroque dance movement in duple meter. It typically
has a quarter-note upbeat, four-measure phrases in cut time (or 2), and binary
form. Often phrases begin with half-note motion, increasing to no more
than eighths. Like a bourée (from which it is sometimes
indistinguishable), it is moderately quick, faster than a gavotte. A
folk dance from southern France, it quickly gained popularity in the French
court after Lully's death (1687) and was quickly adopted in Germany and
especially England."
- Polska -
The polska (plural - polskor) is the most common type of tune in Swedish music, and
can also be found in Norwegian and Finnish music.
It is a dance tune, and is played in 3/4 time. However, it is not
played like a waltz. A polska is usually played slower than a waltz.
In addition, the waltz places the
stress on the first beat of the measure with beats 2 and 3 being lighter. This
gives the waltz an up feeling,
! + + ! + +
On the other hand, the polska places the stress on beats 1 and 3, with beat 2 being lighter -
! + ! ! + !
Foot tapping by the player is allowed, and occurs on beats one and three.
There are different kinds of polskas - the even polska, the uneven polska, the
polska with short first beat, and the polska with long first beat.
- Jig -
When the word "Jig" is used, it usually means "Double
Jig" unless jigs in general are meant.
Double jigs are in 6/8 time, having 6 eighth notes in most of the
measures in the tune. The rhythm of the double jig sounds like
HUMP-it- y DUMP-it-y. They usually have 32 bars total in
the tune.
Single jigs, or Slides, are in 12/8 time, and often substitute a quarter note
for two of the eighth notes in each measure. So the single jig
rhythm sounds a bit like HUMP-ty DUM-ty SAT-on-a WALL. The single
jig usually has 16 bars total in the tune.
Slip jigs, or hop jigs, are in 9/8 time, and can have
either rhythmic pattern shown for single and double jigs, but they have the
equivalent of 9 eighth notes in each measure, so there are three groups of
three eighth notes instead of two (123-456-789, 123-456-789).
|
