Meaning of Basse Dance in Music
The **basse dance** is a courtly dance for couples that originated in the 15th century. It was a popular dance during the Renaissance period and was performed at various ceremonies and events. The term "basse dance" translates to "low dance" in French, referring to its graceful and elegant movements. The dance was characterized by its measured steps and sequences of movements, often performed to music in binary form with each section repeated.
The basse dance was described in dance treatises by Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro and Antonio Cornazzano. It was considered the "queen of all dance measures" and contrasted with the "high" or leaping dance called the saltarello. Thoinot Arbeau, a French dance master, also used the basse dance to explain his method of dance notation in his book Orchsographie.
The music for the basse dance was typically in binary form, with each section repeated. The rhythm of the dance matched the basic steps, and the general measure of the basse dance was elaborated into different named sequences of steps and movements.
Overall, the basse dance was an important dance form during the Renaissance period, known for its elegance and grace. It played a significant role in courtly dances and cultural events of the time
A graceful, stately court dance of the early Renaissance (c.1400-1600) without the rapid steps and leaps of other dances of the era. This dance was the precursor of the pavane, the music to it was generally improvised over a cantus firmus.
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