The minuet is a dance of the past that has become the basis for new music. Minuet dance - from royal balls to modern dance floors
The minuet is the dance of kings. This is how he was characterized in past centuries, and nothing has changed these days. IN modern world Only true connoisseurs of art know about the existence of such a dance, but, alas, it has disappeared forever from the general public. Minuet is a dance that consists of slow movements, small steps, beautiful steps and curtsies. And in order to plunge into the past and find out exactly how our ancestors relaxed at balls, we will study in more detail the history and all the features of the minuet.
The birth of the genre
The minuet's birthplace is considered to be the historical region. There it existed along with others, which, however, were also performed in aristocratic circles. The essence of it then was only that the couples moved gracefully, taking small steps one at a time. Of course, such an action was always accompanied by an appropriate slow music. Even at that time, the folk French minuet was already performed in a certain size - ¾. Many composers wrote works specifically for this dance or simply improvised at receptions and balls.
The formation of dance among the broad masses
At the beginning of the 17th century about this amazing phenomenon folk art Louis XIV found out. It was he who officially proclaimed to the whole country that the minuet is a dance. This was news that instantly spread throughout all the cities, and at every aristocratic court, people close to the king, counts, barons and other holders of high titles began to perform the minuet. Considering the fact that in the 17th and 18th centuries throughout Europe and even in Russia there was a fashion for everything French, this new genre quickly gained leading positions in all noble courts.
The minuet was in favor in St. Petersburg and Moscow; it was performed in Poland and Great Britain. The popularity of the dance did not subside until the mid-19th century, when slow steps were replaced by more energetic rhythms and sharp movements.
Historical image of dance
At the dawn of its existence, the minuet consisted of extremely simple, but very graceful movements. The performers performed curtsies and drawn-out steps; they moved around the hall, now approaching each other, now moving away. Thus, the impression was created that the minuet was not a dance, but only an invitation, very gallant, flirtatious and polite. What was remarkable was that it was always performed by only one couple. That is, the guests took turns dancing the minuet - first the most noble people, then everyone else.
After the dance became widespread in France and abroad, its movements became more complex. It was important to perform steps to the side and forward with maximum precision, thus building up the figures. Another important metamorphosis also occurred. Since the 17th century, the minuet has been a dance performed by all guests at once. The kings walked first, followed by the Dauphins and their companions, and then the rest of the titled guests. All performers lined up in certain figures during the dance. Most often these were the letters “Z” or “S”.
Baroque era
During this period, the minuet undergoes significant transformations. His pace accelerates, his rhythm becomes more mobile and non-standard. If previously the dance was performed strictly in ¾, now a variation has been added to this size - 6/8. A minuet is a dance that is performed simultaneously for the most part guests. Moreover, all their movements should be filled not only with coquetry, but also with affectation, cunning, and charisma. In order to emphasize the “frivolous” nature of the dance, people swapped partners. It is also important to highlight that during the years of popularity the first classical musical accompaniment for this dance. They were divided into three parts and a code. The first was two-voice, the second was three-voice, and in the third part the motifs from the first were repeated. The coda was small and must be performed in a major key.
Features of learning dance
It’s amazing, but for all the apparent simplicity of performing the minuet, it was previously studied for years. From an early age, children were taught to move correctly, their plasticity and grace were developed. Every transition, every step was rehearsed with maximum precision, because any movement in such a dance had to be easy, as if improvisation, and at the same time clear, confident, coinciding with all the others. In fairness, it is worth highlighting that the minuet is a dance that is difficult primarily for men. They had to take off their hat, then, as if in one movement, lure the lady to dance, then, without interrupting the same “breathing,” put it back on their head.
As the world classics wrote
A minuet in music is not just an accompaniment for a dance that has a certain rhythm and tempo. This separate genre, which exists alongside the sonata or prelude. Initially, it existed as a separate form and was performed on the harpsichord or clavichord. Later it became an obligatory part of the instrumental suite. When the genre of opera began to gain popularity, the minuet became part of the overture. In the 18th century, entire suites began to be composed of minuets. The first number was always written in a major key, followed by a dance in a minor key.
Often this dance was alternated with others, where the modes also varied. Among the composers who wrote music in this genre, it is worth mentioning J. S. Bach. Along with him, Handel, J.-B. Lully and other composers of the Rococo era. Later, the creators of the Romantic era took up writing minuets. These were Beethoven (in his notes he calls the minuet “scherzo”), Gluck, Mozart, Satie, Debussy. The described genre is also found in the works of domestic composers: Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rubinstein, etc.
Humanity has been dancing since time immemorial. An indispensable attribute of any festival in ancient times was dancing with simple, unpretentious movements. For some peoples, they even became part of a religious cult.
Over the centuries it has become more complex social life society, and with it the culture of dance. Now simple round dances were considered the destiny common people, while the aristocracy increasingly began to appreciate the complex etiquette of court balls.
What is a minuet?
This is a court dance, with roots going back to folklore. Its history is lost in the depths of centuries. It is known that the French peasants of the province of Poitou danced it long before the young Louis XIV introduced the fashion for the minuet at his court.
This happened at one of the balls, when the king, who was very fond of participating in various theatrical performances, acted as a peasant from Poitou. It was then that he first performed a slow dance- branle - to the melody folk song. A little later, this dance was called “minuet”, that is, “small”, meaning small steps that gave the dance extraordinary grace and grace.
France to XVII century has already gained a reputation as a trendsetter, including in the field of dance. Court ballets during the reign of Louis XIV acquired almost political significance. Therefore, as soon as the new dance became popular in Paris, it was soon danced at court balls throughout Europe. During the reign of Peter the Great, the French minuet came to Russia.
Gallant dance
It cannot be said that, having appeared in the middle of the 17th century, already as a dance of the aristocracy, the minuet never changed. Against. At first, only one couple danced it, while the rest of those present at the court ball were assigned the role of spectators.
The dancing couple moved slowly with deliberately small steps, performing mostly ceremonial curtsies and solemn bows. When one couple finished dancing, another took over. This form of execution existed until late XVII century. Then not only the nature of the dance changed.
The minuet now began to be performed at a somewhat accelerated tempo, new, more complex and elaborate “steps” appeared in it, and the dance itself absorbed the spirit of the gallant 18th century, with its craving for coquetry and affectation. But, in addition, he began to include larger number couples dancing at the same time.
From success to oblivion
Minuet is a dance whose technique was not easy to master. Therefore, as soon as it became fashionable, dance teachers began to offer their services to French courtiers. The first of them was François Robert Marcel, who worked at the Paris Opera and was a member of the Royal Academy of Dance.
The solemn manner of performance with strictly maintained poses required the dancers to maintain a smooth pattern of rounded lines. Mastery of this art has acquired great importance among the European aristocracy early XVIII century. They even said that the one who knows how to dance a minuet well does everything else well.
During the French Revolution, the minuet - the dance of the aristocracy - lost its significance. It was replaced by simpler ones. Nevertheless, it cannot be said that the minuet was completely forgotten. It continued to remain a ballroom dance in the 19th century, although many contemporaries already considered it a relic of the cloyingly ceremonial mores of the last century.
Minuet in music
But the minuet is not only a dance. The second meaning of this word refers to a piece of music, in fact, to music written for dance. Later, in the 19th century, artistically processed minuets became part of individual musical works, such as operas.
The ancient minuet consisted of two parts. The first was written in two voices, the second - in the same key or in a lower key - three voices. The second part was followed by a repetition of the first.
Often the minuet ended with a short coda - a final repetition of it main topic. The first minuets were performed on harpsichords, then string instruments and a flute were added to them.
Composers who wrote minuets
The music for the early minuets was written by Lully J.B., the court composer of Louis XIV. He composed operas and ballets, in which the king himself loved to participate, in which he also introduced a minuet. It was classic musical composition in two parts. François Couperin and Jean-Philippe Rameau wrote in the same manner.
As the form becomes more complex, the minuet becomes a piece of music in three parts. An example of this is the suites of Sebastian Bach and George Handel. When in European art Baroque was replaced by the era of classicism, Italian composers opera overtures began to end with a minuet.
Wolfgang Mozart also loved this piece of music, and he not only composed music, but also knew how to excellently dance a complex dance. One of his most famous minuets was written for the opera Don Giovanni. When performed by an orchestra, it sounds unusually solemn.
Haydn Joseph - another Austrian composer XVIII century - also loved to compose minuets. Like Mozart, he wrote the third part of his symphonies, and sometimes sonatas, in the form of a minuet.
When fashion passes
Minuet like ballroom dance and separate instrumental piece remained popular for a relatively long time. IN creative heritage M. Glinka, L. Beethoven, A. Glazunov, C. Debussy, A. Rubinstein and others composers of the 19th century centuries it occurs quite often.
But everything is changing. Gallant dance has long been a part of the past. However, it cannot be said that today it is completely forgotten, because the minuet is not only a dance. Its form is present in modern ballet and musical works.
Minuet - dance of kings
Minuet (fr. menuet) - ballroom dance. Consists of bows and curtsies, small steps, graceful poses. So named because of its small movements (pa). Origin from France. In the Middle Ages it was popular. He was distinguished by his lively, spontaneous character and had a completely different name - Branle de Poitou à Mener from the province of Poitou.Since the 17th century it was accepted by the nobility and changed its name. Turned into Amener, from à mener - to lead. Firstly, in this way his peasant origin was hidden. Secondly, the leadership of the first pair was emphasized (the king always went first). However, the new name had to be abandoned. Thanks to their small steps, instead of “Amene” they began to say “Minuet” (Pas Menu - small step).
The minuet became a court dance during the reign of King Louis XIV. At the same time, a “revolution” took place in the rules of ballroom ceremonies. After all, touching even the tips of a lady’s fingers was considered indecent. In the minuet, the gentleman leads his partner precisely by the tips of his fingers.
Gradually, the fashion for dancing the minuet spread throughout Europe, and in France, members of the Royal Academy of Dance began to improve it. In the 18th century, the dance became even more complex, faster, and movements more elaborate and cutesy. Gained popularity in bourgeois circles. They said about him “Minuet is the dance of kings and the king of dances!”
The history of the minuet was interrupted by the Great French revolution. Aristocrats either fled the country or died by guillotine. There was no one and nowhere to dance the minuet; court balls were a thing of the past.
Since then, the minuet has lived only in ballet.
One way or another, they paid tribute to the minuet in their work outstanding composers: Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Mozart, Gluck, Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, Glinka, Debussy, Glazunov. Some people inserted elements of dance melody into their ballets, others into an instrumental suite, others into an operatic overture.
The great Austrian composer Joseph Haydn was the first to use the minuet in symphonies.
Guy de Maupassant "Minuet"
(Excerpt from the story)
He perked up.
- Minuet, sir, is the king of dances and the dance of kings - that’s what it is. Since there were no kings, there was no minuet.
And in a pompous style he pronounced a long dithyramb of the minuet, from which I understood nothing. I asked him to describe to me all his steps, movements, postures. He was confused, despaired of his powerlessness, and nervous. And suddenly he turned to his old friend, still silent and important:
“Eliza, do you want, tell me, do you want,” it would be so nice of you, “do you want to show this gentleman what a minuet is?”
She looked around uneasily, then stood up, without saying a word, and stood opposite him. And then I saw something unforgettable.
They moved back and forth, cooing like children, smiling at each other, bending, bowing, jumping, like two old dolls set in motion by an antediluvian mechanism, made by the hand of a skilled craftsman according to the rules of that time.
I looked at them, and my heart was tormented by a strange feeling, my soul was full of inexpressible sadness. It seemed to me that a pitiful and funny ghost appeared before me, an old-fashioned ghost of an entire century. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.
They suddenly stopped - all the dance figures ended. For several moments they stood opposite each other, making some amazing grimaces, then, crying, they hugged each other.”.
What did they dance at noble balls?
- Polonaise. They opened the ball, which became fashionable under Catherine II. Lasted half an hour. Everyone present danced. During the polonaise, the ladies greeted the gentlemen.
- Waltz. Second dance noble ball. Came into fashion in Russia
V the beginning of the nineteenth century. - Mazurka. The middle of the ball. Appeared in Russia around 1810. The Mazurka was danced in four pairs. During its execution, conversations were allowed.
- Cotillion. Origin from France. Known in the mid-18th century. Came to Russia in the next century. It was a dance-game. The gentlemen in this dance kneel in front of the lady, sit her down, deceive her, bounce off her, jump over a scarf or card.
- Gavotte. Known since the 16th century. In the 17th century it became a court dance and acquired a graceful and cutesy character.
- Quadrille. French dance originated at the end of the 18th century. Was popular before late XIX century. Performed by two or four pairs located in a quadrilateral opposite each other.
- Polka. She was very fashionable in France. The polka appeared in Russia in 1845. I brought her famous dancer Imperial Troupe of St. Petersburg N. Golts.
Dance video
Among various dances that were popular in previous eras, special place takes up a minuet. This famous dance The modern era appeared at the French court around the 16th century.
The name of the dance comes from French words menu (“step”, “small step”) or amener (ancient french dance). Minuet for a long time was the main court dance, although initially it was considered a rural dance. During its peak, the minuet became a high example of court ballet.
Dance technique
. The minuet is characterized by a three-part meter and a moderate tempo. Although there were many varieties of this beautiful dance, the general idea of him was as sedate, graceful, gallant and ceremonial dance. Almost always the minuet was the pearl of the balls. The dance is characterized by such features as ceremonial passages forward, backward and sideways, small graceful steps (pas), ceremonial bows, and easy gliding. An important element of the minuet is a kind of hint of a bow to the audience.