I read about this a few months back...Here is a recollection of this interesting article.
The term suite refers to a type of composition comprising a series of movements in identical or related keys with common musical ideas.
The earliest use of this term in its context originated from the European Dances ( such as pavane, galliard, sarabande, allemande, courante, gigue ) that date as far back as the 1400s. But then they appeared as separate dances, instead of parts of a bigger programme that we know of today.
J.J. Froberger, a German composer combined these dances into a regular cosmopolitan pattern, which, with various options, formed the basis for Baroque Instrumental suites. This suites became the mainstay of the Baroque until they were overtaken by the Sonata form in the Classical era.
Sometimes a suite will be prefaced by a prelude, which is also more fancifully described as fantasia, overture or fanfare. And the suite itself was also variously known in different languages-Ordres in French, Partitas in German and Italian, and Lessons in English.
The basic layout of a Baroque suite is as follows:Allemande( German in origin ), Courante ( French in origin), Sarabande( Spanish in origin ), Gavotte/Bouree ( French in origin ) and gigue, also known as jig ( English in origin).
Additional movements include the minuet( French Dance from Poitou ) and Musette.
The movements that are French in style are comparitively slower, less contrapuntal, more intimate in style and elaborative in decorations. They also adopt slower time signatures such as 3/2 or 6/4, rather than the German faster 3/4 or 6/8.
And Suites 'Italian' in style will adopt the Italian Concertante texture and structure, with more than often, a large ritornello in its many episodes.
Alot of interesting facts were brought up in that article...but here are the main points that maybe one ought to know.
So the next time u play Bach's suites...Think of them as Dances, that would definately make more sense.
The term suite refers to a type of composition comprising a series of movements in identical or related keys with common musical ideas.
The earliest use of this term in its context originated from the European Dances ( such as pavane, galliard, sarabande, allemande, courante, gigue ) that date as far back as the 1400s. But then they appeared as separate dances, instead of parts of a bigger programme that we know of today.
J.J. Froberger, a German composer combined these dances into a regular cosmopolitan pattern, which, with various options, formed the basis for Baroque Instrumental suites. This suites became the mainstay of the Baroque until they were overtaken by the Sonata form in the Classical era.
Sometimes a suite will be prefaced by a prelude, which is also more fancifully described as fantasia, overture or fanfare. And the suite itself was also variously known in different languages-Ordres in French, Partitas in German and Italian, and Lessons in English.
The basic layout of a Baroque suite is as follows:Allemande( German in origin ), Courante ( French in origin), Sarabande( Spanish in origin ), Gavotte/Bouree ( French in origin ) and gigue, also known as jig ( English in origin).
Additional movements include the minuet( French Dance from Poitou ) and Musette.
The movements that are French in style are comparitively slower, less contrapuntal, more intimate in style and elaborative in decorations. They also adopt slower time signatures such as 3/2 or 6/4, rather than the German faster 3/4 or 6/8.
And Suites 'Italian' in style will adopt the Italian Concertante texture and structure, with more than often, a large ritornello in its many episodes.
Alot of interesting facts were brought up in that article...but here are the main points that maybe one ought to know.
So the next time u play Bach's suites...Think of them as Dances, that would definately make more sense.
