Friedrich Albert Zorn

Dance notation for La Cachucha by Friedrich Albert Zorn

Friedrich Albert Zorn (born April 3, 1816 in Kempten (Allgäu) , † April 1895 in Odessa ) was a dancer, choreographer and dance theorist.

Life

Little is known about Zorn's training in Dresden and Leipzig and his professional path via Hanover and Hamburg to Christiania and via Paris to Odessa. At the age of 16 he came to Odessa, where he was a teacher at the Imperial Russian Richelieu Gymnasium from February 1840 to 1887. As can be seen from the preface to his grammar of dance art , he made numerous trips to all of Europe to meet and advise dance teachers. In 1855 he met Paul Taglioni in Berlin . Amint Freising was also active there as a figurine at the same time . He was in correspondence with Arthur Saint-Léon for several years. I was also in contact with dance teacher colleagues in Königsberg and Leipzig; It is not known whether he himself worked there as a dance teacher.

The grammar of the art of dance

On May 24th and 25th, 1885, Zorn presented his grammar of dance art to the Academy of Dance Teaching in Berlin, chaired by Amint Freising, after 50 years of work .

On May 29 and 30, 1887 it was decided at the annual general meeting of the academy that each member should receive a copy and submit a written comment, which should serve for improvements in later editions.

This work, dedicated to Amint Freising, was published in Leipzig in 1887. In it, Zorn describes the dance art of his time and explains his dance notation , which is based on the Arthur Saint-Léons notation system. Zorn's dance theory is based on the collaboration with Paul Taglioni and Saint-Léon. He describes the quadrille , the polonaise, and numerous other national dances as danced at the public balls and domestic societies of his time. Apart from the contemporary dances, he also describes some dances of the previous generation, such as a Gavotte de Vestris , as well as a version of La Cachucha made famous by Fanny Elssler in Jean Coralli's ballet Le Diable boiteux . Furthermore, the minuet was part of the training in the 19th century , which was also described by Zorn in one of the versions customary at the time.

Apart from this, Zorn's grammar of dance art is also an interesting source of folk dance , as it found its way into the balls of the urban population in its stylized form (Tyrolienne, Steirischer, Rhinelander, Redowaczka, Krakowiak, etc.). His book was translated into English ( Grammar of the Art of Dancing ) in 1905 . Both editions appeared in several editions.

Fonts

• Grammar of dance art. Theoretical and practical lessons in the art of dance and dance writing or choreography together with an atlas with drawings and musical examples with choreographic names and a special music booklet for the musician , Leipzig: JJ Weber, 1887; Reprint: Hildesheim: OLMS, 1982.
• Grammar of the Art of Dancing, theoretical and practical; lessons in the arts of dancing and dance writing (choreography) with drawings, musical examples, choregraphic symblos, and special music scores, translated from the German of Friedrich Albert Zorn , translated by Alfonso Josephs Sheafe, Boston, Mass .: Heintzemann-Press, 1905.

Web links

• Page on Friedrich Albert Zorn at the German Dance Archive Cologne .
• Photos from the atlas on the grammar of dance art (English)
• Family tree of the Zorn family
• E-book grammar of dance art