New-York tribune., 1905-02-05
EVERY DANCE HAS ITS DAY.
Its Development from Earliest Times
Ancient Music.

''The world has been dancing ever since we ~ hhow
anything about It." said Carl F1que al MS 'ee'a
recital on THE Development Of the Dance a. ttie
Brooklyn Institute on Monday. I'VE know that .ne
neon1s of antiquity the Greeks the Egyptians tho
Hebrews all the rest OF them OF whom we nave the
slightest trace danced not only for pleasure. oa'
as an exercise OF religion. The dances OF olheie'
epochs and races have had great influence on toSlc
as an art. But we know nothing about the dance
music of the ancents. So far IS we are aware n"'
a single tune has come down to u.s.
1.-The oldest dances and dance tunes OF WhleH
we know anything date from the early Nllooie .
Ages. We know of them from the chronlcles ol
the old towns from the pictures Of the old paint
ers which depict not only the figures OF the
dance but the instruments. and from the tl'Ie
pages of the old song books.
~ saw song books instead of dance books. be-
cause the music of those early dances was never
written But for lack of instruments, it was of'en
customary for a part of the company to dance TO
the singing Of the rest. So words were set 70 the
music and these words. after While, got written
or printel and students may hunt the quaint old
slaves out or musty chronicles
PIPERs AND DRUMMERs.
Improvements came in with the later Middle
Ages. The instrumental part taken by pipers
and drummers. the bagpipes playing the tune
and also continuous growing bass. Then came IN
two OF three reed instruments. and still later the
violin. The more formal and dignifed dances were
called step dances Those more wild and livery IN
style were called jump canoes Inc "e'AtH 10 d
uneal descendant of one OF the old jump dances
'At this time the dance music was nothing In
the way Of a piece of music. 1t was simply
snatch of melody repeated over and over again
These were in two-four time for the more disnineo
.tep dances sometimes called fore dances, and
changed to three-four time for the svelier jump
ing measures also called after dances
Here Mr.. F1que played some fragments OF Middle
Age dances which were rather pleasing. though a
little monotonous.
They used TO play one strain ike that haf an
hour at time" said he 'or until the physicai en-
durance of both players and dancers gave out.
He then read a portion of an original treatlse oy
one Dr. Johann Won Munster. written some three
hundfed years ago. on The Goodly Dance"
The first thing in dance" he began graVeIy'
'is TO order the pipers and drummers TO play Inen
tho gentleman, in d delicate and dignliied manner.
looks over the maidens and women present IN ORDER
to choose one for whom he has speclaI aHecuon
TO invite to dance with him. Having chosen ne
bows before her. sinks upon his knees before her
and kisses her hand. Having led her to place. they
embrace and kiss after the fashion of the country
full upon the mouth
So the old chronicler goes on until. at the end' ne
tells how. when the players stop. the young gal
lants set upon them and beat and thrash them De-
cause they stopped the DANCE too soon
SPANS SARABANDA.
.'This harmonious little strain" continued Mr'