Cajun Folk Songs Essay, Research Paper
Belle Qui Tiens Ma Vie
The music of the Renaissance Period was heard in our cathedrals, the Halls of
Nobility, and even peoples’ homes. The Renaissance music was between the Medieval
and Baroque times, about 1450-1600. Some of the instruments were bagpipers, singing
peddlers, and pipe-and-drummers. Composers from Northern France, Belgium, and
Holland brought the music to its highest point with new styles. In the nearby Netherland
Schools, they were greatly interested in the different voices. In these songs, people could
hear harmony because of melodic lines.
Pavane – the most typical of 16th century dances, a stately processional
performed by couples. Its steps are simple enough but as in all slow dances, demand
controlled deportment and posture. The name pavane means “dance from Padua” or
“peacock’s dance”. The latter interpretation may well refer to the dancer’s proud and even
swaggering bearing. A pavane is often followed by a gaillarde
Thoinot Arbeau
For most of the dances described in Thoinot Arbeau’s Orchesographie, published
in Langres in 1589, only a melody is given, but in the sixteenth century it was common
for dance music to be provided by a band of loud or soft (haut or bas) instruments as the
occasion demanded. Arbeau himself gives us information with which to begin our search
for appropriate multi-part dance music when he suggests to his pupil, Capriol, that he
look in the books of music printed by Pierre Attaignant and by Nicolas du Chemin in
Paris for more music for basses dances and pavans. Attaignant’s dance books are extant
and have been published both in facsimile and in modern editions. Nicolas du Chemin
published the dance music arranged by Jean D’Estree, but only the superius and bassus
parts of the first three books, and only the bassus part of the fourth book survive.
Fortunately, there are a number of books of
second half of the sixteenth century, all intended for the same middle class amateur
audience. Many are not ensemble books, but books of music for solo lute, cittern, or
guitar; however, ensemble setting of the music for Arbeau’s dances can easily be made
from these.
Many sixteenth century dances were not associated with specific melodies, but
could be danced to any appropriate music. Pavans, gaillardes, branles simples, and
branles doubles, branles gais, and the sixteenth century basse danse commun, for
example, could be danced to a number of tunes, and so Arbeau could direct Capriol to
the readily available collections of dance music for a variety of tunes to dance to. For
mimetic dances or for dances with special length or cadential requirements it is necessary
to look for settings of the particular tunes Arbeau gives, for in these cases dance and tune
are closely associated and general interchangeability of music is not the case.
How to play the piece
This is a grade 2 piece but that does not mean that it is easy because of all of the
hard articulations and things in this music it is actually not that easy.
The Quarter note in this particular piece should be around 80, 90, and 100. The
note value of 80 would best suit a concert band considering that the listener, at slow
tempos, pays more attention to what the music sounds like which makes them focus less
on what the tune is. The piece should be played with little or no tongue and with a
smooth flowing feeling to the music. The intonation in this piece is very noticeable in the
sense that if you make on little ‘crack’ in your playing, it is very noticeable so you must be
careful. You must play this piece with very good phrasing and dynamics.
Well, that just about wraps up my report on the music we had to play for the district
festival, I’m all bummed out so…. Good Night
-DrSamuels