Shakespeare and Music Part 16

V

DANCES AND DANCING

The history of Dances is the history of the transition from pure vocal music to pure instrumental music. In the Dances of the 16th century, we have the germs of the modern 'Sonata' Form; and in the a.s.sociation of certain of them we have the first attempt at a sequence of different 'movements,' which finally resulted in the Sonata itself.

The Elizabethan Dances, especially the Pavan, shew us this development just at the point where instrumental music was dividing itself from vocal.

_All the ancient dances were originally sung._ In Grove's Dictionary, Vol. ii. p. 676, there is given the music of a _Pavan_, in four vocal parts, with the words sung [copied from Arbeau's Orchesographie, 1588]. Morley (Practical Music, 1597) mentions _Ballete_, as being 'songs which being sung to a dittie may likewise be danced.' Again, he speaks of 'a kind of songs ... called Justinianas ... all written in the _Bergamasca_ language.' See _Mids. Nt. Dream_ V, ii, 30, where Bottom is not so very inaccurate after all in asking Duke Theseus to '_hear_ a Bergomask dance between two of our company.' The same author also gives '_Pa.s.samesos_ with a dittie [_i.e._, sung],' and distinguishes between these aforesaid and 'those kinds which they make _without_ ditties.' [Pa.s.samesos are Pa.s.sing-measures--or Pa.s.samezzo--Pavans, see _Twelfth Nt._ V, i, 200.]

Hence it appears that in Elizabeth's reign some dances were sung, and others were simply played.

Morley goes on to instance two particular dances which were commonly a.s.sociated together--viz., _Pavans_ and _Galliards_. [_Tw._ V, i, 200, I, iii, 127, etc., _H. 5._ I, ii, 252], the first of which he says is for 'grave' dancing, having three 'strains,' each containing 8, 12, or 16 semibreves (two beats in a bar), which are each repeated; and that this _Pavan_ is usually followed by a _Galliard_, 'a kind of music made out of the other' [see Bull's Pavan and Galliard, 'St Thomas Wake,' in _Parthenia_] in _triple_ time, 'a lighter and more stirring dance than the _Pavan_, and consisting of the same number of straines.'

The next pa.s.sage from Morley is very interesting when compared with the stage direction in _Timon_ I, ii, 131, where a _masque_ of _Ladies_ as _Amazons_ enter the banquetting hall at Timon's house, with _lutes_ in their hands, _dancing and playing_. This stage direction corresponds closely with Morley's account, 'the Italians make their _galliards_ (which they tearm _salta relly_) plain'

[_i.e._, alone; not as an appendage to the Pavan, as in England], 'and frame ditties to them, which in their _mascaradoes_ they sing and dance, and manie times without any instruments at all, but instead of instruments they have _Curtisans disguised_ in men's apparell, who sing _and daunce_ to their own songes.'

The 'French _bransle_,' he says, is like the Alman (Allemagne of Bach, etc.)--_i.e._, it 'containeth the time of eight, and most commonly in short notes.' This is the Brawl, see _L.L.L._ III, i, 9, and was one of several tunes to which the Country Dance was danced, whether in a ring, or 'at length,' like our 'Sir Roger.'

He says that the '_voltes_ and _courantes_' also are 'like unto this,'

but are 'danced after sundrie fashions' [he means, with different steps, but occupying the same rhythmical time, so that the same tune would do], 'the _volte_ rising and leaping, the _courant_ travising and running, in which measure also our Countrey dance is made, though it be danced after _another form_ than any of the former.'

'All these be made in _straines_, either two or three.' See _Tw._ I, i, 4, 'that _strain_ again,' or _Julius Caesar_ IV, iii, 258, 'touch thy instrument a _strain_ or two.'

Christopher Sympson, the royalist soldier (1667), confirms Morley's statements as to the const.i.tution and use of these dances. See his 'Compendium,' p. 116, where he expressly states that pure instrumental music, 'made only to delight the ear,' is merely a development from Dances.

He speaks of the a.s.sociation of Pavan and Galliard as being 'in course.' He spells the latter _Giliard_, and says that it is 'according to its name' [see Skeat, Etym. Dict., Spanish, gallardo (ll = ly), pleasant, gay, lively] 'of a loftly and frolick movement.'

Immediately afterwards, however, Sympson seems to forget his own remarks, for he says the name is derived from Gallia, 'the country whence it came.'

On page 117 he speaks of _Corants_, _Sarabands_, _Jiggs_, _Country Dances_, etc., as 'things so common in each one's ears' that he 'need not enlarge his Discourse' to them.

There is a capital bit of patriotism on page 118, which deserves quoting, first, because at the time it was entirely justifiable; secondly, because it shews us that in 1667, instrumental music had at last decidedly parted company with vocal part-writing, and had an independent existence. 'You need not seek Outlandish Authors, especially for Instrumental _Music_; no Nation (in my opinion) being equal to the _English_ in that way; as well for their excellent as their various and numerous Consorts, of 3, 4, 5, and 6 Parts, made properly [on purpose] for Instruments, of all which (as I said) _Fancies_ are the chief.' For 'Consort,' see _Two Gent._ III, ii, 83; and for 'Fancies,' _Hen. IV. B._ III, ii, 323.

Hawkins (1776) does not add much of interest to the above account of the Elizabethan dances, except (p. 704) that there is no authority for a Jigg having generally a pointed (_i.e._, dotted) note at the beginning of every bar. There is, however, a 'Jegge' given in Stainer and Barrett's Dict. of Musical Terms, dated 1678, where the 'pointed'

note is quite characteristic. This may be a more modern feature, for an undoubtedly ancient Jig--viz., Dr Bull's 'King's Hunting Jigg,' not only has no dotted note, but is in common time, without even a tendency towards the rhythm of triplets. [Also see Appendix, 'Cobbler's Jig.' 1622.]

Here is a most entertaining quotation from Selden,[19] dealing with fashionable court dances in Elizabeth's reign, and shewing how things had gone from bad to worse in respect of dignity and state in dancing, under the Stuarts.

[Footnote 19: Selden's Table Talk, article 'King of England,' -- 7.]

'The court of England is much alter'd. At a solemn dancing, _first_ you had the _grave measures_, _then_ the _Corantoes_ and the _Galliards_, and _this_ kept up _with ceremony_; and _at length_ to Trenchmore, and the Cushion dance: _Then_ all the company dances, lord and groom, lady and kitchen-maid, _no distinction_. So in our court in queen _Elizabeth's_ time, _gravity and state_ were kept up. In king _James's_ time things were _pretty well_. But _in king Charles's time_, there has been nothing but Trenchmore and the Cushion-dance, _omnium gatherum, tolly polly, hoite c.u.m toite_.'

There are very many pa.s.sages of interest, containing references to Dances. The first one here given is an instance (in Shakespeare's very text) of singing a dance and dancing to it at the same time. Here the _Brawl_, and _Canary_, the first in alphabetical order, are coupled together.

_L.L.L._ III, i, 9.

_Moth._ Master, will you win your love with a _French brawl_?

_Arm._ How meanest thou? _brawling in French_?

_Moth._ No, my complete master; but to _jig off a tune_ at the tongue's end, _canary to it_ with your feet, ... _sigh a note_, and _sing a note_.'

Two other examples of dancing to one's own singing are, _Mids._ V, ii, 25 and _Wiv._ V, v, 93.

The _Brawl_ was written in quick four-in-a-bar time. There are several well-known tunes to it. [See Note on Arbeau's 'Orchesographie.' 1588.]

The derivation of the name is from the French, _bransle_, a totter, swing, shake, etc., or perhaps from Old French _Brandeler_, to wag, shake, swing. Skeat thinks the original dance may have been a _sword_ dance, and with this he connects the word Brandish.[20] It was danced, sometimes in a ring, holding hands, and sometimes 'at length.'

[Footnote 20: This hardly seems a necessary theory. See the Note on 'Orchesographie,' where the 'swinging' movement is fully accounted for.]

The _Canary_ (or Canaries) was in 6/8 time, and was a lively dance.

[Stainer and Barrett's Dict. gives one by Delaborde in 4/4 time.]

There are many examples by Lully and other Frenchmen of the 17th century. One of Lully's, in Lajarte's 'Airs a Danser,' dates 1666.

There is no history of the name. Skeat says it is so called from the Canary Islands. Hawkins does not attempt to account for the t.i.tle, but cunningly infers that it is of English origin because it has _not_ got a foreign name. Also he mentions that Purcell wrote a Canaries for his Opera of Dioclesian, 1690. [See Note on 'Orchesographie.']

The Canary is also alluded to in two other places, where the lively character of the dance is clear. Mr Ford puns on 'wine,' 'pipe,' and 'canary.' Of course _he_ means _whine_, _pipe_ (for dancing to), and the _Canary_ that he meant Falstaff to dance.

_Wiv._ III, ii, 83.

_Host._ Farewell, my hearts. I will to my honest knight Falstaff, and drink _canary_ with him.

_Ford._ [_aside_] I think, I shall drink in _pipe-wine_ first with him; I'll make him _dance_.

And next, Lafeu connects the canary with 'spritely fire and motion.'

_All's Well_ II, i, 74.

_Lafeu._ ... I have seen a medicine That's able to breathe life into a stone, Quicken a rock, and make you _dance canary_ With spritely fire and motion.

There are two specially important pa.s.sages which mention several dances at one time, so as to give some prominence to their special characteristics--viz., _Much Ado_ II, i, 68, and _Twelfth Nt._ I, iii, 118.

The budget of dances here named includes--

1. Cinque-pace, or Sinkapace. 2. Coranto, or Courante. 3. Galliard. 4.

Jig (Scotch). 5. Measure.

_Much Ado_ II, i, 68.

_Beatrice._ The fault will be in the _music_, cousin, if you be not woo'd _in good time_: if the prince be too important [importunate], tell him, there is _measure_ in everything, and so _dance_ out the answer. For hear me, Hero; wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a _Scotch jig_, a _measure_, and a _cinque-pace_: the first suit is _hot and hasty_, like a _Scotch jig_, and full as fantastical; the wedding, _mannerly modest_, as a _measure_, full of _state and ancientry_; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the _cinque-pace faster and faster_ till he sink into his grave.

_Tw._ I, iii, 118.

_Sir To._ What is thy excellence in a _galliard_, knight?

_Sir And._ 'Faith, I can _cut a caper_.