Dance and the Music of J. S. Bach: Expanded Edition [Library Binding]

Meredith Little (Author), Natalie Jenne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 2002 | Series: Music: Scholarship and Performance

This work includes stylised dance music and music based on dance rhythms pervade Bach's compositions. Although the music of this very special genre has long been a part of every serious musician's repertoire, little has been written about it. The original edition of this addressed works that bore the names of dances-a considerable corpus. In this expanded version of their practical and insightful study, Meredith Little and Natalie Jenne apply the same principals to the study of a great number of Bach's works that use identifiable dance rhythms but do not bear dance-specific titles. Part I describes French dance practices in the cities and courts most familiar to Bach. The terminology and analytical tools necessary for discussing dance music of Bach's time are laid out. Part II presents the dance forms that Bach used, annotating all of his named dances. Little and Jenne draw on choreographies, harmony, theorists' writings, and the music of many seventeenth- and eighteenth-century composers in order to arrive at a model for each dance type. In Appendix A, all of Bach's named dances are listed in convenient tabular form; included are the BWV number for each piece, the date of composition, the larger work in which it appears, the instrumentation, and the meter. Appendix B supplies the same data for pieces recognisable as dance types but not named as such. More than ever, this book will stimulate both the musical scholar and the performer with a new perspective at the rhythmic workings of Bach's remarkable repertoire of dance-based music.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Meredith Little is an attorney practicing law in Tucson. She has taught at Stanford University and Aston Magna Academy and is author of numerous articles on Baroque music and dance, include twenty-three articles in the New Grove.

Natalie Jenne, Professor of Music Emeritus at Concordia University, has published articles in the J. S. Bach (in the series Oxford Composer Companions), Key Words in Church Music, and journals such as Bach, The Diapason, Church Music, and Clavier. She conducts workshops on aspects of Baroque performance practice, in particular, the music of Bach.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 288 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press; Exp Sub edition (January 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253339367
• ISBN-13: 978-0253339362
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,926,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bach and Baroque dance, April 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Dance and the Music of J. S. Bach: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

This book is a must for all serious performers of Bach's music. It is the only book that details not only of most of the dances that appear in Bach's works, but provides a fundamental vocabulary for a discussion of rhythm. After that has been provided, dances are discussed with clarity and precision, with a wealth of original sources for the reader. There is nothing on the market like it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dance rhythms and Bach's music, August 21, 2006

By 

L. Couch "musicman14" (Spartanburg, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dance and the Music of J. S. Bach: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

This book provides a fine survey of the rhythms associated with the most prevalant Baroque dances. Although stylized dance pieces and other instrumental works beyond the dance hall might not strictly follow the rhythm of the original dance, this book provides a solid grounding for any person interested in the topic and wishing to flexibly apply dance rhythms to their own interpretations of Bach's music. Thus, this book is important to any performers serious about playing Baroque music and especially Bach's.

I recommend the book for its information but also because it is so easy to read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now all we need, May 23, 2008

By 

C. Slack "Reader" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dance and the Music of J. S. Bach: Expanded Edition (Paperback)

Very well reseacrhed, clearly written and well organized. All we need now is an accompanying DVD that demonstrates the dances in period costume and with a reasonable company of dancers.