Courante 2653266 223819805 2008-07-05T23:45:08Z JeanneShade 7322737 reworded for clarity, added information about Bach's use of courante vs corrente, information on meter and tempo, and quotes {{Unreferenced|date=October 2007}} {{redirect|Corrente|the surname|Corrente (surname)}} The '''courante''', '''corrente''', '''coranto''' and '''corant''' are just some of the names given to a family of [[triple metre]] dances from the late [[Renaissance]] and the [[Baroque|Baroque era]]. Modern usage will sometimes use the different spellings to distinguish types of courante (Italian spelling for the Italian dance, etc.), but in the original sources spellings were inconsistent. (Note, however, that in the Partitas of the Clavierübung, Bach did use the different spellings courante and corrente to differentiate between the French and Italian styles, respectively.<ref>Bach. ''The French Suites: Embellished version''. Barenreiter Urtext</ref>) Courante literally means running, and in the later Renaissance the courante was danced with fast running and jumping steps, as described by [[Thoinot Arbeau]]. These steps are sometimes thought to be broken up by hops between the steps, but this is not necessarily supported by Arbeau's confusing and contradictory instructions, which described each "saut" as resulting in the completion of a new foot placement. In ''Der Vollkommene Capellmeister'' (Hamburg, 1739), Johann Mattheson wrote that, "The motion of a courante is chiefly characterized by the passion or mood of sweet expectation. For there is something heartfelt, something longing and also gratifying, in this melody: clearly music on which hopes are built."<ref>Bach. ''The French Suites: Embellished version''. Barenreiter Urtext</ref> The courante was most commonly used in the [[baroque]] period. During this period, there were two types of courante: French and Italian. The French type had many cross-accents and was a moderately fast dance, in contrast to the allemande that preceded it. The Italian courante was faster, more free-flowing and running, however, it is not clear whether this is significantly different from the French Renaissance courante that Arbeau describes. In a Baroque [[dance suite]], an Italian or French courante typically comes between the [[allemande]] and the [[sarabande]], making it the second or third [[Movement (music)|movement]]. The French type is usually notated in 3/2 or 6/4, occasionally alternating between the two meters, and is typically performed at a fairly moderate tempo; the Italian type, on the other hand, is a significantly faster dance. In the ''Musicalisches Lexicon'' (Leipzig, 1732), Johann Gottfried Walther wrote that the rhythm of the courante is "absolutely the most serious one can find."<ref>Bach. ''The French Suites: Embellished version''. Barenreiter Urtext</ref> ==See also== * [[Renaissance dance]] * [[Baroque dance]] [[Category:Historical dance]] [[Category:Renaissance dance]] [[Category:Musical forms]] {{dance-stub}} [[de:Courante]] [[es:Courante]] [[fa:کورانت (موسیقی)]] [[fr:Courante]] [[bpy:কোর্রেন্টে]] [[it:Corrente (danza)]] [[he:קוראנט]] [[hu:Courante]] [[nl:Courante]] [[ja:クーラント]] [[no:Corrente]] [[pl:Courante (taniec)]] [[pt:Corrente]] [[ro:Corrente]] [[ru:Корренти (Бразилия)]] [[simple:Courante]] [[sl:Couranta]] [[fi:Courante]] [[vo:Corrente]] [[zh:库朗特]]