On Sep 9, 2007, at 2:12 PM, John Howell wrote:
At 4:12 PM +0200 9/9/07, Barbara Touburg wrote:
Is there a place on the net where I can find the correct tempi for
various dances? I'm working on a berceuse right now and I would
like it to play back at the proper tempo.
There may be, but be aware that it is likely based on conjecture.
One of the problems is that tempos for named dances changed over
time. I think it was the Sarabande that originated in the
Caribbean as a "fast, lascivious dance," in the early 17th century
but became the slowest of the French theatrical dances a century
later. And Lully's minuets were either faster or slower than
Mozart's, but I can never remember whether they got faster or
slower during their century of popularity.
One way to make sure you're at least close is to learn the dance
steps themselves, and one discovers that the tempo RANGE for any
given dance was actually rather narrow.
I was always under the impression that dance rhythms tended to speed
UP as they went on in history and leave the dance world in favour of
the concert world. Your account of the Sarabande would certainly
refute THAT.
I had extended that theory to 20th century dances as well, like
waltzes, marches, polkas and foxtrots, all of which showed up later
in jazz concerts at MUCH faster tempos than anyone but a top athlete
could dance them. Latin rhythms, too, are going that route as they
start to show up more in the concert hall than the dance hall.
Christopher
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