Musicon / Musical education / Minuet and Gavotte
Of the other dances incorporated into the suite, two are deserving of special mention because of their influence on the music of to-day-the Minuet, which is the parent of the symphonic scherzo, and the Gavotte, whose fascinating movement is frequently heard in latter-day operettas. The Minuet is ::More
Musicon / Musical education / The Gigue
Great Britain’s contribution to the Suite was the final Gigue, which is our jolly and familiar friend the jig, and in all probability is Keltic in origin. It is, as everybody knows, a rollicking measure in 6-8, 12-8, or 4-4 time, with twelve triplet quavers in a measure, and needs no ::More
Musicon / Musical education / The Sarabande
The Sarabande was in triple time as the Allemande, but its movement was slow and stately. In Spain, whence it was derived, it was sung to the accompaniment of castanets, a fact which in itself suffices to indicate that it was originally of a lively character, and took on its solemnity in the ::More
Musicon / Musical education / Suite – A set of dances
The suite is a set of pieces in the same key, but contrasted in character, based upon certain admired dance-forms. Originally it was a set of dances and nothing more, but in the hands of the composers the dances underwent many modifications, some of them to the obvious detriment of their national ::More
Musicon / Scarlatti / Scarlatti Sonatas – Frequently full of grace
Of Scarlatti’s music the pieces most familiar are a Capriccio and Pastorale which Tausig rewrote for the piano. They were called sonatas by their composer, but are not sonatas in the modern sense. Sonata means “sound-piece,” and when the term came into music it signified only ::More
