It's nostly a question of time....
Noel Stoutenburg
I have been investigating a group of dance music composed about 1690 by
a composer under Italian influence. None of these movement give any
indication of tempo, but I understand that this is not necessarily
unusual, and that tempo is implied by the dance for which the movement
is named. I have problems. First, my source is Dolmetsch,
/Interpretation of Music in the 17 and 18th centuries/. It does contain
a section on the tempo of dance music, but there are dances in the list
that are not in Dometsch, and for those that are in Dolmetsch, the
publication is dated, and may not represent the best of current
scholarship. Further, my source is about the same age as Dolmetsch's
work, and does not necessarily measure up to current standards for
critical editions, so I don't have a reproduction of current mensuration
symbols.
My best guess as to the likely tempo of the movements in the following
list is shown. I'm interested to know what you might think as the
appropriate tempo for any in which you think my value is off base. In
the list, q = quarter note; h = half note, dh = dotted half, &c. In
cases where I had no suggestions from Dolmetsch, I started with a base
tempo which was about equal to the pulse, and adjusted it up or down as
the music seemed to require or suggest.
Allemande q 110
Aria q 120
Bourree q 160
Canario q 100
Canario dh 120
Ciaccona h 160
Courante dq 80
Gagliarda q 110
Gavotte q 120
Gigue dq 90
Gigue dh 60-90
Intrada q 80
Menuet q 160
Minuetto q 160
Minuetto q 160
Ritirata q 120
Sarabande h 80
Terza q 60
Variatio h 80
ns