Michael Praetorius - Three Dances

A couple of friends and I decided to put together an ad hoc Renaissance dance band for the spring contra dance formal this year at my college, Christendom, in Front Royal, VA. I took the opportunity to arrange some dances from Terpsichore for the ensemble, which consisted of a recorder, a violin, and myself on harpsichord.

I made these digital performances of my arrangements with Finale PrintMusic 2007.

The dances are:

I - La Bouree
II - Ballet
III - La Volta

The pictures are of various contra dances at Christendom and are taken from the college's website.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Christendom
• College
• Contra
• Dance
• Contradance
• Renaissance
• Music
• Michael
• Praetorius
• Terpsichore
• Early
• Bouree
• Ballet
• La
• Volta
• Dancing

[WestfaliaMagna]

Your version of La Bourree sounds well, but is too fast , especially for dancing ! There is in fact a 360 year-old choreography for the 2nd Bourree (Praetorius Parts 3 and 4) called "Parson´s Farewell", and also one for the first line of Praetorius Part 1, called "The Health", both in John Playford´s English Dancing Master from 1651. Also Praetorius´Bourree was the mother of hundreds of folk dances in Germany and Austria. Search for "Boarischer", especially for "Stiefeziaga" (it´s Bavarian) ...

[NihilNominis]

@WestfaliaMagna They were actually dancing a reel to La Bouree (we're Americans, what can I say?) so it had to be that fast! But all the same time, your comment is appreciated!

I'd be interested to see it danced to the old choreography! Is there a video of that?

[WestfaliaMagna]

@NihilNominis Hello to America ! Browse for "Parson´s Farewell", and You find 20+ videos in all sorts. The tune played on melodion or lute, also danced versions to the Playford description, from everywhere in the world: with groups from England, The U.S., Germany, Norway. I don´t know whether there is one for "The Health" - try out !

[NihilNominis]

@WestfaliaMagna Thanks!

[WestfaliaMagna]

Cont.: - This tune from ca. 1800 starts with the beginning of La Bourree ! And also for "Hinterlechner Boarischer" or "Hirschbichlalm Boarischer" , in danced versions. These are modern dance tunes, but descendants of la Bourree in a 400-Years´s tradition. And You get the right time for playing the Praetorius version !