Born: December 22, 1723, CöthenDied: June 20, 1787, London (age 63)
glossary
allemande, allemanda, allemand, almain, almaine, alman—In the Renaissance/Baroque eras, a moderately slow, serious dance usually in duple meter and binary form. Often the first movement of suite. From the French word for "German." Later usage (e.g. Haydn, etc.) might suggest more generally "in a German style", e.g. a folk dance, perhaps even lively and in a triple meter like a Ländler.
chamber music, Kammermusik [G], musique de chambre [F], musica da camera [I], musica cameralis [L]—"Classical Music" for a small ensemble, generally 8 or fewer players with a canonical emphasis on 3-6 players. explore
gavotte, gavotta—Originally a French folk dance that became a courtly dance with Louis XIV and subsequently used in Baroque suites. Moderate tempo in duple rhythm often beginning on an upbeat in a pick-up measure.
gigue, jig, giga, gigg—A lively dance (of English origin); often the finale of a Baroque suite. Compound meters exhibit both duple and triple meter rhythms.
prelude, prélude, präludium [G], präludien [G, pl], praeludium, preludio—a movement preceding another almost by way of introduction: to let listeners and players acclimate, often to prepare for greater demands ahead
sarabande, saraband, sarabanda—A Spanish Renaissance / Baroque dance in triple meter. In France and Germany, it tended to be slow and stately.
solo—a piece or section of a piece featuring a single instrumental part. Often, this implies one instrument alone but may indicate a soloist with accompaniment (e.g. continuo) especially in a section within a larger work for ensemble
suite—a set of instrumental pieces (movements) played together to create a larger whole. Suites tend towards collections of dances, frequently in the same key, preceded by a prelude, introduction or overture.