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Sarabande
Sarabande
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A sarabande in binary form by Johann Kuhnau Play

The sarabande (from Spanish: zarabanda) is a dance in triple metre, or the music written for such a dance.

History

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Sarabanda

The Sarabande evolved from a Spanish dance with Arab influences, danced by a lively double line of couples with castanets.[1][2] A dance called zarabanda is first mentioned in 1539 in Central America in the poem Vida y tiempo de Maricastaña, written in Panama by Fernando de Guzmán Mejía.[3][4] In 1596, Alonso López, "el Pinciano", traces its origins even to the cult of Dionysus. The dance seems to have been especially popular in the 16th and 17th centuries, initially in Spain and in the Spanish colonies.

The Jesuit priest Juan de Mariana thought it indecent, describing it in his Tratato contra los juegos públicos (Treatise Against Public Amusements, 1609) as "a dance and song so loose in its words and so ugly in its motions that it is enough to excite bad emotions in even very decent people".[5] A character in an entremés by Cervantes alluded to the dance's notoriety by saying that hell was its "birthplace and breeding place" (in Spanish: origen y principio).[6][7] It was banned in Spain in 1583 but was nevertheless still performed and frequently cited in literature of the period (for instance, by Lope de Vega).[3]

It spread to Italy in the 17th century, and to France, where it became a slow court dance.[5]

The sarabande was used throughout much of classical music, especially in the baroque era: for example, the music of French baroque composer Jean-Marie Leclair (born 1697): Sonata for 2 violins in D major Op.12 no.3; and Buxtehude's Trio Sonata in E minor Op.1/7 BuxWV 258, an extraordinary work with this sarabande style, most likely influencing later baroque composers such as Handel and Bach, who also have notable works using the same theme.

Baroque musicians of the 18th century wrote suites of dance music in binary form that typically included a sarabande as the third of four movements. It was often paired with and followed by a jig or gigue.[8] Bach sometimes gave the sarabande a privileged place in his music, where it is often the heart of his suites for cello or keyboard. And outside the context of dance suites, striking examples include the theme (aria) and the 13th and 26th variations from Bach's Goldberg Variations; and the final movements of both the St. John and St. Matthew Passions.

The anonymous harmonic sequence known as La Folia appears in pieces of various types, mainly dances, by dozens of composers from the time of Mudarra (1546) and Corelli through to the present day,[9] custom perhaps influenced by its Spanish origin. The theme of the fourth-movement Sarabande of Handel's Keyboard suite in D minor (HWV 437) for harpsichord, one of these many pieces, appears prominently in the film Barry Lyndon.[10]

The sarabande was revived in the 19th and early 20th centuries by the German composer Louis Spohr (in his Salonstücke, Op. 135 of 1847), Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (in his Holberg Suite of 1884), French composers such as Debussy and Satie, and in England, in different styles, Vaughan Williams (in Job: A Masque for Dancing), Benjamin Britten (in the Simple Symphony), Herbert Howells (in Six Pieces for Organ: Saraband for the Morning of Easter), and Carlos Chávez in the ballet La hija de Cólquide.

The sarabande inspired the title of Ingmar Bergman's last film Saraband (2003). The film uses the sarabande from Bach's Fifth Cello Suite, which Bergman also used in Cries and Whispers (1971).[11]

References

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Further reading

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from Grokipedia
The sarabande is a slow, stately in triple meter, typically in 3/4 or 3/2 time, characterized by a strong emphasis on the second beat and phrases of four or eight measures, which evolved from a lively, exotic form into a refined musical movement evoking emotional depth and majesty. Originating in the as a fast, raucous, and often lascivious dance possibly from or with African influences, imported to where it was associated with suggestive guitar accompaniment and lyrics, the sarabande was initially banned by the for its vulgarity but gained popularity in by the early . By the 17th century, it spread to Italy and France, where it was tamed into a slow court dance with symmetric steps, contretemps, and sissonnes, as seen in notations by Raoul Auger Feuillet and Guillaume-Louis Pécour, often depicting seduction or Spanish temperament in theatrical works by composers like Jean-Baptiste Lully. In music, the sarabande became a staple of the Baroque suite—following the allemande and courante, preceding the gigue—featured in works by Louis Couperin, Lully, and Johann Sebastian Bach, who employed it for poignant moments in passions and keyboard suites due to its capacity for syncopation, harmonic tension, and expressive variation.

Etymology and Origins

Linguistic Roots

The term sarabande originates from the Spanish zarabanda, first documented in 1539 in the poem Vida y tiempo de Maricastaña by de Guzmán Mexía, where it refers to a lively and lascivious dance accompanied by and body movements. According to the authoritative etymological analysis by Joan Corominas, the word's origin is uncertain but most plausibly a native Spanish invention, derived from zaranda (""), evoking the dance's rhythmic, sifting motions; this is reinforced by contemporary phrases like más puta que una zaranda ("more of a whore than a "), associating the term with scandalous, erotic connotations. While some early scholars proposed derivations from Arabic or Persian influences—such as sarband ("headband" or "yellow fillet") or dast-band ("hand-clasp," potentially alluding to a joined-hand dance mentioned in 10th-century Arabic texts by the Ikhwān al-Safāʾ)—these connections are phonetically and historically improbable, lacking evidence of transmission through Moorish before the . The broader context of and Moorish cultural elements in Renaissance likely contributed to the zarabanda's perception as an exotic, tumultuous , blending indigenous rhythms with imported flair, though no direct linguistic link is verifiable. By the early , the term had adapted across as sarabande in French (attested ) and zarabanda or sarabanda in Italian, signifying its transformation from a vigorous folk form to a more formalized courtly style amid cultural exchanges. This linguistic evolution mirrors the dance's dissemination, including early appearances in colonial like , where it intertwined with local traditions.

Early Historical Mentions

The earliest recorded mention of the sarabande, referred to as zarabanda, dates to 1539 in the poem Vida y tiempo de Maricastaña, composed by Fernando de Guzmán Mexía in , where it is described as a lively and energetic performed in Spanish colonial settings. This reference highlights its origins as a vigorous among the colonists and indigenous populations in the , often involving improvised singing and rhythmic movements. By the mid-16th century, the sarabande had spread to proper and continued to flourish in the American colonies, gaining widespread popularity as an exuberant typically accompanied by guitar strumming, , and occasional percussion to emphasize its syncopated, passionate character. Despite its appeal, the dance's sensual and unrestrained style led to controversy; in 1583, King issued a ban prohibiting its performance and singing due to its perceived indecency and potential to incite immoral behavior, though it persisted covertly in private gatherings and colonial outposts beyond royal oversight. The sarabande reached in the early , appearing in European dance publications that facilitated its into continental repertoires, including early examples of lively triple-meter dances influenced by Spanish imports. This introduction marked the beginning of its transition from a colonial and popular form to one that would influence courtly and musical traditions across .

Characteristics as a Dance

Style and Performance

By the early , the sarabande underwent a significant transformation in European courts, evolving from its fast and tempestuous Spanish form into a slow, dignified in triple meter, emphasizing solemnity and balance. In , it became a staple of repertoires, characterized by a described as "ceremonious" or "majestic," shedding its provocative associations for a refined aesthetic of tenderness and order. This shift aligned with the broader codification of court , where the sarabande's measured pace allowed for sustained, graceful phrasing. In the French courts under , the sarabande exemplified performative etiquette through its stately execution in opulent ballrooms, where dancers entered in processional lines to uphold hierarchical . Participants wore formal attire such as embroidered silks and voluminous skirts for women, and embroidered justaucorps with for men, accentuating poised postures during the . The king himself excelled in the sarabande, performing it with exceptional grace that set the standard for courtiers, integrating it into ballets de cour as a symbol of royal elegance. Gender dynamics in the sarabande highlighted complementary roles, with men leading partners in restrained, balanced movements that conveyed mutual dignity and restraint, fostering an aesthetic of harmonious courtly interaction. Both partners executed graceful, elongated gestures—women with flowing arm extensions and men with firm yet elegant support—emphasizing poise over exuberance to reflect the era's ideals of noble comportment. This performative restraint underscored the dance's role in social rituals, where subtle synchronization between couples reinforced and status.

Steps and Movements

The sarabande is performed with slow, gliding steps in triple meter, emphasizing the second beat through a characteristic step-hold-step pattern that creates a suspended, flowing quality. Dancers advance with minimal foot elevation, often sliding rather than lifting the feet, interspersed with brief pauses and rapid transitions to maintain the dance's deliberate pace. This basic , evident in notations from the early , aligns with the form's courtly origins, where each measure typically incorporates rises, springs, and chassés to propel the body forward while preserving elegance. Posture in the sarabande demands an upright and noble, self-possessed carriage, with arms held at half-height and elbows slightly curved to frame the body gracefully. Later interpretations focused on statuesque holds, such as half-leaning positions with one foot raised, to underscore the dance's . These elements contribute to the overall body mechanics, where vertical movements like pliés and rises occur in most measures (approximately 1.5 per measure in analyzed notations), enhancing the sense of poised tension and release. As a in many notations, the sarabande involves the leading dancer guiding the follower via hand placements on the or , facilitating coordinated promenades and quarter- or full turns across the floor. These interactions emphasize and mutual support, with steps like backward retreats and forward advances executed in during specific measures. Variations between national schools highlight stylistic differences: early Italian and Spanish approaches featured quicker spins and lively dynamics, contrasting the French school's more restrained, solemn poses as codified in later 17th- and 18th-century notations by Raoul Auger Feuillet and Guillaume-Louis Pécour.

Musical Form

Rhythm and Meter

The sarabande is characteristically composed in triple meter, most commonly notated in 3/4 or 3/2 time signatures, which provides a foundational rhythmic framework for its slow, deliberate progression. This triple meter features a distinctive emphasis on the second beat, often achieved through dotted rhythms or syncopation, which imparts a hesitating or "limping" quality to the music, distinguishing it from other Baroque dances. Phrasing in the sarabande typically unfolds in balanced four-bar units, creating a sense of rhythmic and forward momentum within its binary structure. These units frequently incorporate —a 3:2 polyrhythmic interplay that temporarily groups the beats into twos rather than threes—introducing tension and metrical ambiguity, particularly in transitional phrases. Such rhythmic devices heighten the expressive contrast between the accented second beat and the resolution on the third. In the Baroque era, the sarabande's tempo is generally slow and stately, often marked adagio or largo, corresponding to approximately 40–60 beats per minute to align with its dignified character. Dotted rhythms on the second beat, combined with suspensions that delay resolution, further accentuate this off-beat emphasis, evoking a sense of poised restraint in performance.

Harmony and Structure

The framework of the sarabande is grounded in characteristic bass patterns that emphasize stepwise motion and arpeggiated figures, often supporting progressions such as tonic-dominant-tonic in minor keys. These patterns typically feature a stable tonic chord on the first beat, followed by dissonant on the second beat, creating a tension-release dynamic that aligns with the dance's expressive gravity. In examples, the bass line may include chromatic rises or descents, such as fourth-down and second-up intervals, to heighten suspense and facilitate smooth . Structurally, the sarabande adheres to , denoted as AABB, with each half typically comprising 8 to 16 bars and featuring melodic ornamentation elaborated over a recurring bass foundation. The A section often presents the primary thematic material in the tonic key, while the B section introduces contrast through modulation or , usually returning to the tonic for resolution; this organization divides into balanced phrases of four or eight bars, promoting a sense of narrative progression. The sarabande's triple meter serves as the rhythmic base, underpinning these formal divisions without dominating the harmonic flow. Key characteristics of sarabande harmony include the frequent employment of suspensions and appoggiaturas, where dissonances on the second beat resolve to consonance on the , infusing the music with poignant emotional depth. further enriches this language through passing tones and altered chords, often appearing in parallel fifths or tenths to evoke melancholy or intensity. Early sarabandes drew from modal roots in their 16th-century Spanish and Latin American origins, employing church modes for a fluid, non-functional harmonic palette, but by the era, they had transitioned to a fully tonal system centered on major-minor key centers and cadential resolutions. This evolution allowed composers to exploit dissonance and resolution more systematically, aligning the form with the period's emphasis on affective expression.

Historical Development

Baroque Era Integration

During the late , the sarabande gained prominence in the French courts through the compositions of , particularly in his operas and ballets of the 1680s, where it was refined into a dignified and controlled form suitable for royal spectacles. Lully's integration of the sarabande in works such as Armide (1686) and various court ballets helped standardize it as a core movement in the instrumental suite, shifting its character from an earlier lively Spanish style to a measured, expressive entity that underscored themes of nobility and restraint. This formalization aligned with the broader development of the suite de danses under Louis XIV's patronage, where the sarabande contributed to the structured elegance of orchestral divertissements. Within the typical suite, the sarabande held the third position, succeeding the and while preceding the , offering a deliberate contrast through its slow and emphasis on emotional depth in triple meter. This placement allowed composers to balance the suite's rhythmic variety, with the sarabande's poised phrasing providing a moment of amid the faster surrounding movements. In , the sarabande was embraced early on, appearing in John Playford's The English Dancing Master (1651) as "Adson's Saraband," marking its entry into English dance manuals and social practices. Composers and further adopted and adapted the form in their keyboard suites during the late , incorporating French influences to create expressive English variants that blended native idioms with the sarabande's stately rhythm. , such as those in his Suite in (Z. 661), exemplify this integration, while Blow's similar movements in his suites reinforced the dance's role in English . Theoretical writings of the era, notably Jean-Philippe Rameau's Traité de l'harmonie (), underscored the sarabande's grave and solemn disposition, detailing its metrical accents and harmonic implications as essential to its serious tone. Rameau's analysis positioned the sarabande as a pinnacle of expressive restraint, influencing its portrayal in subsequent French theoretical and compositional traditions.

Post-Baroque Evolution

Following the peak of the era, the sarabande experienced a marked decline during the Classical period (c. 1750–1820), as the multi-movement suite form, in which it had been a standard component, largely fell out of favor in favor of emerging structures like form and . Composers such as and , central figures of this era, rarely employed the full suite format or the sarabande specifically, prioritizing homophonic textures and galant styles over the polyphonic movements of the previous period. Nonetheless, elements of the sarabande's distinctive and triple meter appeared sporadically in operas and , influencing structures; for instance, sarabande-like rhythms informed tempo di minuetto arias in Mozart's works, adapting the dance's solemnity to dramatic expression. The sarabande saw a tentative revival in the amid growing Romantic interest in historical forms, often reimagined through neoclassical or folk-inflected lenses to evoke antiquity or exoticism. German composer contributed to this resurgence with his Salonstücke, Op. 135 (1847), for and , where the third piece is a sarabande that retains the dance's slow, emphatic second-beat accent while integrating Romantic expressivity. Similarly, Norwegian composer incorporated a sarabande as the second movement in his , Op. 40 (1884), a neo-Baroque orchestral work commemorating the bicentennial of playwright ; here, the sarabande adopts a stately, andante tempo to homage 18th-century dance suites while blending Scandinavian melodic contours. French composer further stylized the form in his Trois Sarabandes (1887) for solo , early mature works that experiment with modal harmonies and sparse textures, marking a shift toward impressionistic reinterpretations of dances. In the early , propelled renewed engagement with the sarabande, as composers drew on its rhythmic gravity for modernist ends. Claude Debussy's (1901), L. 95, features a sarabande as its second movement, characterized by solemn elegance and modal ambiguity that echoes the prototype but dissolves traditional into whole-tone scales and parallel chords. This period's revival extended the sarabande's adaptability, transforming it from a courtly into a vehicle for emotional depth and structural experimentation. By the mid-20th century, British composers integrated the sarabande into larger narrative or symphonic contexts, often evoking its inherent nobility amid contemporary idioms. employed a sarabande in Job: A Masque for Dancing (1930), an orchestral score where Scene 1's "Sarabande of the " unfolds with majestic, arching lines to depict divine order, scored for full and premiered in form. followed suit in his , Op. 4 (1934), for string , with the third movement titled "Sentimental Sarabande"; composed from childhood sketches, it infuses the form with wistful and subtle , premiered by an amateur ensemble under the composer's direction. These adaptations underscore the sarabande's enduring appeal as a contemplative interlude, bridging historical reverence with 20th-century innovation.

Notable Compositions and Examples

Baroque Works

One of the most renowned sarabande compositions from the era is Johann Sebastian Bach's Sarabande from Cello Suite No. 1 in , BWV 1007, composed in the . This unaccompanied piece exemplifies intricate through its layered melodic elaboration over a harmonic-metrical framework, achieved via implied voices in the single line, including upper neighbor-tone figures, trills, and turn motifs that emphasize scale degree 3 (B natural). The features two four-bar sections per half, with agogic accents on the second beat creating the characteristic sarabande rhythm, while step-wise lines and wide-ranging chords contribute to its expressive depth as the emotional core of the suite. Bach further explored the sarabande in his French Suite No. 1 in , BWV 812, circa 1722, where it adopts a more classical German style within the standard suite sequence of , , sarabande, and . This sarabande stands out for its unadorned simplicity and binary structure, contrasting the preceding French-influenced , with a focus on harmonic clarity and subtle rhythmic emphasis on the second beat to evoke a stately poise suitable for keyboard performance. George Frideric Handel's Sarabande from the Keyboard Suite in , HWV 437, composed around 1720, is distinguished by its passacaglia-like bass, which unfolds through descending fifths (such as B-flat to F and G to ) to support variations that blend sarabande conventions with ground-bass elaboration. The movement's allows for ornamental expansions in the upper voices, creating a between bass and treble that heightens its melancholic intensity on . Arcangelo Corelli's Sonata Op. 5 No. 12 in , published in 1700, adapts the sarabande form for through its incorporation into the "La Follia" variations, drawing on an ancient Spanish sarabande ground bass to showcase idiomatic techniques like successive and minimal embellishment in the theme itself. This church structure integrates the sarabande's slow and triple meter to provide contrast before the lively variations, emphasizing Corelli's influence on writing. Jean-Baptiste Lully integrated the sarabande into theatrical contexts, notably in his 1670 comédie-ballet , where it appears as a choreographed for female characters, reflecting the genre's evolution from Spanish origins to French courtly elegance. Composed for the at Chambord on October 14, 1670, this sarabande employs a simple with second-beat emphasis, supporting the satirical narrative through its graceful, processional quality in ensemble performance.

Later and Modern Interpretations

In the Romantic era, composers occasionally revived the sarabande form as a nod to models, infusing it with expressive lyricism and harmonic richness characteristic of the period. Edvard Grieg's (1884–1885), subtitled Suite in Olden Style, includes a Sarabande in the second movement that evokes the dance's stately triple meter while incorporating Norwegian folk inflections and Romantic chromaticism, serving as a tribute to 18th-century suite traditions. Similarly, composed a Sarabande as Morceau de concours for and piano in 1898, a concise pedagogical piece that retains the form's slow, dignified pulse but employs impressionistic modal shifts and subtle dynamic contrasts. The 20th century saw broader adaptations of the sarabande, often in neoclassical contexts that blended historical reference with modernist innovation. Claude Debussy's Sarabande from (1901) reimagines the dance in a hazy, whole-tone atmosphere, emphasizing rhythmic ambiguity and pedal effects over strict phrasing, marking an early impressionist reinterpretation. Maurice Ravel's (1914–1917), a suite homage to French composers, draws on sarabande-like elegance in its poised, ornamental lines, though not featuring a dedicated movement, to evoke the era's refined gravity amid World War I's turmoil. Benjamin Britten's (1934), composed for amateur , includes a "Sentimental Sarabande" that parodies the form's solemnity with wistful melodies and light-hearted syncopations, reflecting the composer's playful . Carlos Chávez incorporated a Sarabande (Zarabanda) into his La Hija de Cólquide (1943–1944), where it unfolds in a brooding, percussive texture for strings, fusing Mexican indigenous rhythms with the dance's inherent melancholy to underscore mythological . In , the sarabande persists as a structural anchor for minimalist and spiritual explorations, often stripped to essential pulses. Philip Glass's Sarabande in Common Time (2016) for solo adapts the form into repetitive, arpeggiated patterns that highlight shifting tonal centers, embodying his signature gradual evolution while nodding to process. Arvo Pärt's Sarabande, the second movement of sur B-A-C-H (1964), quotes a Bach sarabande for and interrupted by clusters, pre-dating his later style but evoking contemplative depth. Jazz and popular fusions have sporadically embraced sarabande rhythms for improvisational depth, particularly in crossover chamber works. Pianist Fred Hersch's Sarabande from his album Sarabande (1987), an original composition in trio with and , transforms the form into a lyrical ballad with subtle swing and harmonic extensions, bridging classical poise and modern improvisation. Similarly, Jacques Loussier's piano trio arrangements, such as the rendition of Bach's Sarabande from No. 1 (1960s), infuse the triple meter with grooves and walking bass lines, exemplifying the form's adaptability in mid-20th-century lounge .

Cultural Impact

In Film and Media

The sarabande has found significant use in 20th- and 21st-century film to evoke historical elegance, emotional introspection, and dramatic tension. In Stanley Kubrick's 1975 period drama Barry Lyndon, George Frideric Handel's Sarabande from the Keyboard Suite in D minor, HWV 437, serves as a recurring leitmotif, particularly underscoring the film's opulent depictions of 18th-century European aristocracy and pivotal scenes of confrontation and decline. The piece, originally a solo harpsichord work, was orchestrated for the film in multiple arrangements, including for the main title sequence and the climactic duel, amplifying the narrative's themes of fate and grandeur. Similarly, in Ingmar Bergman's 2003 Swedish drama —a sequel to his 1973 film —the Sarabande from Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011, functions as the central musical theme, framing the story's exploration of aging, regret, and familial bonds. Performed by cellist Thorleif Thedéen, the movement recurs during intimate dialogues and reflective moments, its somber triple meter mirroring the characters' emotional stasis and reconciliation attempts. Bergman, known for integrating into his oeuvre, had previously employed this Sarabande in (1972) to convey psychological depth. In theater and ballet, the sarabande appears in stage adaptations and historical revivals, lending authenticity to period settings. incorporated the Sarabande from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's score in its 1980s productions of The Sleeping Beauty, a reconstruction of Marius Petipa's 1890 , where the movement in Act III highlights the regal splendor of the courtly divertissement. This usage reflects broader efforts in the late to revive elements within frameworks. The sarabande also enhances period ambiance in , such as video games. In the series, which spans historical eras from the onward, sarabande-inspired tracks contribute to immersive soundscapes; for instance, the 2024 release Assassin's Creed Shadows features music by blending stately rhythms with thematic motifs to evoke tension and historical intrigue.

Contemporary Revival and Usage

The movement, which gained significant traction in the 1970s, has played a pivotal role in reviving the sarabande through authentic reconstructions using period instruments. Ensembles dedicated to , such as the English Baroque Soloists founded in 1978 by conductor , have extensively performed sarabande movements from suites, emphasizing original tempos, ornamentation, and instrumentation to recreate the dance's stately elegance. These efforts have not only preserved the form's rhythmic and expressive nuances but also introduced it to modern audiences via recordings and concerts focused on 17th- and 18th-century . In contemporary dance education, the sarabande holds a prominent place in curricula aimed at historical accuracy and stylistic precision. Institutions like integrate the dance into their historical performance programs, offering workshops that teach its triple-meter steps, poised gestures, and emotional restraint alongside musical analysis of scores. These classes, often led by specialists in Baroque choreography, train dancers and musicians to embody the sarabande's dignified character, fostering a deeper understanding of its role in suite structures and courtly traditions. Festivals dedicated to further sustain the sarabande's live performance tradition. The annual International Handel Festival, for instance, routinely includes sarabande suites in its lineup, such as those from Handel's operas and keyboard works, performed by period ensembles to highlight the dance's melodic depth and cultural significance. These events draw international performers and scholars, promoting collaborative interpretations that blend reconstruction with interpretive innovation. Globally, the sarabande has inspired adaptations in folk and contexts, particularly in Latin American revivals that reconnect with its zarabanda origins from 16th-century colonial influences. Such fusions appear in cultural preservation initiatives, where the dance's rhythmic essence is reinterpreted through regional traditions. This renewed interest has been amplified by its prominent use in films, sparking broader appreciation among diverse audiences.

References

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