Tourdion
The Tourdion (also written Tordion ) is a historical dance from the Renaissance period . It is a lively jumping dance, the music of which is in 6/8 time. Thoinot Arbeau characterizes the Tourdion as a faster version of the Gaillarde , which is why the jumps were lower than with the latter. The Tourdion was danced as the night dance of the Basse danse . In the course of the 16th century he was replaced by the Gaillarde.
A well-known French drinking song from 1530 is also entitled Tourdion. The composition is attributed to Pierre Attaignant , others assume an anonymous composer . It was probably first published by Attaignant - one of the pioneers of sheet music printing - in 1530 (as Tourdion “La Magdalena” in Premier livre de Danceries ). The original text has not survived; the version commonly used today is a reconstruction.
Analysis of the score
epoch
This little song was composed around 1530 and some suspect Pierre Attaignant created it, others claim the composer was anonymous and Pierre Attaignant was only the editor, since he was one of the pioneers of sheet music printing. This dance song was used as the basis for a fast jumping dance and was replaced by the Gaillarde towards the end of the century because of its too fast pace.
construction
Tourdion consists of a stanza part and a refrain part which are repeated individually. You can mainly hear the soprano melody, which is supported by three accompanying voices. There are no different stanzas, so the same is always repeated. The piece is of very short duration as it only has 16 bars and the tempo is extremely fast. Despite the repetitions, the piece only has a total duration of about 1:30 minutes.
Melody
The main part of the song is the soprano, because this one has the melody. The other choir parts only have an accompanying function. The melody does not stand out because of its higher register, but because of its smaller note values and its continuation of the second. Indeed, there are no major jumps in the melody. The second interval and the fast eighth notes are of dominant power here. In contrast to this singing melody are the accompanying voices. Their accompanying function can be clearly felt in their leaps and bounds. The repeated grouping of a half followed by a quarter is melodically uninteresting and it can be clearly seen that these accompanying voices represent chords through large jumps. This behavior creates a jumping character. The four-bar melody has certain similarities in various places. The first four bars resemble the following four, and bars 9-12 resemble the following. In the first 8 bars, the motif of the first bar is decisive: six eighth notes that first ascend and then descend again. Also of great importance is the c sharp note, which gives the melody this medieval note. This note determines the key and its church mode ( Doric ). In bars 9–16 the syncope theme plays an important role. Nuances or other intensity guidelines are not entered in the sheet music and may not be wanted because it should not be an artistically demanding song on the basis, but only a song that everyone can sing, accompanied by simple instruments such as a flute and a tambourine . Complicated types of performance are therefore not required. The rhythm that invites you to dance is more important than the music. When performing this piece, the nuances should be chosen spontaneously and possibly also relate to the dancers and their mood. A complementary melody can be found at various points in the accompanying parts . These never have faster note values than the quarter, as long as the lead voice also has fast rhythms. In bars 6 and 7 you can clearly see how the melody moves from the soprano to the tenor over the alto. However, the text remains most important in the soprano. The two parts of the piece still differ in their melody, because in the second part there is a slight increase in pitch. This leads to a first thought that this could be the refrain.
Harmony
This piece only has the function of dance and for this very reason the rhythm is more important than the harmony. Therefore the song is not worked out in depth from the harmonic side. The key is E minor and the major sixth (e – c sharp) creates the church key Doric. This church key and many parallel octaves and fifths evoke the character of medieval music. The harmony is rather simple and without complicated chords or many notes so that the common citizen can understand this music. The chords are simple major triads and the bass has its focus on the base note E. The harmony remains almost constant on the first level and changes only a few times to the 3rd or the dominant 5th level. This is where the two parts differ slightly. In the first 8 bars this level change is slightly less than in the following 8 bars. This also leads to a slight increase in the music in the 2nd part.
Time signature
The composition is in a fast three-bar and is therefore relatively short as it only contains 16 bars, which are repeated, but appear particularly short because of the very fast tempo. No doubt it used to be thought of simply repeating it as an endless loop.
rhythm
The main rhythm of this piece lies in the accompaniment, i.e. in the alto, tenor and bass parts, and is the impulse that drives the piece forward. This impulse consists of a half followed by a quarter. This rhythm motif remains the same in almost every measure throughout the composition. This creates a steadfast basis that goes on and on and a volatile character that tempts you to dance. There are a few counter-strikes, for example, in bars 4, 7 and 15, which loosen up the steadfast basis a little. There are no pauses here and the pauses for breath between the sentences of the individual voices blur each other, so that a lasting sound is created. Even in a purely vocal performance, you can almost hear rhythm instruments, such as the accompaniment of a tambourine. The rhythm of the melody seems to be overlaid in an almost improvised manner and with its lively verve also seduces to dance.
text
The text of the Tourdion is not the original text, but only a reconstruction:
"Quand je bois du vin clairet
Ami tout tourne, tourne, tourne, tourne
Aussi désormais je bois Anjou ou Arbois
Chantons et buvons, à ce flacon faisons la guerre
Chantons et buvons, les amis, buvons donc!"
German translation:
“When I drink Clairet wine,
friend, everything turns, turns, turns, turns.
Even now I drink Anjou or Arbois .
Let's sing and drink; let's make war with this bottle.
Let's sing and drink, friends, so let's drink! "
The text turns this piece into a drinking song, which may not have been the intention at the beginning, as the original text was not passed on. The character is folksy and even a little funny. It is supposed to encourage the citizens to drink and dance, a typical festival or celebration music to ensure a good atmosphere. The text repeats itself constantly and is not difficult to behave, so everyone can sing along easily and quickly. The French language is also chosen here and not difficult Latin, which corresponds to the abilities of the common citizen. The melody part is completely different from the accompanying voices, but these are not the same as each other. The rhythm may be very similar, but the text on top is different, at least in the first part. Thus the composition regains its free and jumping character and even if it is only sung in four voices, a whole group seems to be in a celebratory mood. In the second part and chorus of the piece, the accompanying voices are rhythmically absolutely identical and here the text is the same, which also leads to an increase in the music.
Depiction of the Middle Ages
The Tourdion also plays a big role in medieval markets . A cover version of the medieval band Die Streuner is usually played here, and a live version of the local bands is often also played.
To this music the performers dance the tourdion as a circle couple dance. The number of pairs is arbitrary.
The steps are as follows:
The couples line up in a circle, the women to the right of their dance partner. They all hold hands.
It is started with the left foot.
1st chapter:
Measure 1: One step to the left, here the right foot is only slightly pulled or lifted, not fully placed.
Measure 2: back on the right foot
Measure 3: The left foot takes a step forward to the center of the circle, the arms are swung towards the center.
Measure 4: back on the right foot
The whole thing is done four times.
Part 2:
Measure 1-2: The women let go of the hand of the gentleman on the right. They turn to the left in front of their dance partner, grabbing his left with their right hand. They let go of the left hand of their partner's right and keep turning until they stand between this and the next gentleman. The women can do a little jump if the men give them enough support. It is understood again.
Measure 3–4: as in the 1st part
This is also done four times, so that at the end the women are 4 places further to the left (with 4 couples again at the starting point).
3rd part:
Repetition of the 1st part
4th part:
Like the 2nd part, only now the men turn to the right in front of the women.
Then you start again with the first part.
literature
- Volker Saftien: Ars Saltandi. European ballroom dancing in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Hildesheim 1994. ISBN 3487098768 , pp. 50-56.
Web links
- Text, midi file and sheet music at Tempus Vivit
- reconstructed French text (French)