passepied

Meaning of Passepied in Music

A **passepied** is a type of dance that originated in Brittany and became popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the context of music, the term "passepied" can refer to both the dance itself and the music that accompanies it. Passepieds are often included as movements in suites, such as Handel's Water Music and J.S. Bach's Overture in the French Style for harpsichord.

Musically, a passepied is typically a fast and lively dance movement in binary form, with a time signature of three quavers (or eighth notes) per bar. Each section of the passepied usually begins with an upbeat of a single quaver The music is characterized by its energetic and spirited nature, often featuring syncopated rhythms and lively melodies. Passepieds can also include the use of polyrhythms, such as the 3 against 4 polyrhythm.

One notable example of a passepied is the final movement of Claude Debussy's Suite bergamasque, titled "Passepied". This movement is in F minor, marked allegretto ma non troppo, and features a fast and light texture with an almost continuous quaver accompaniment in the left hand.

In summary, a passepied is a lively dance and a type of dance movement in Baroque music. It is characterized by its fast tempo, triple meter, and binary form. The music is often energetic and spirited, with syncopated rhythms and lively melodies.