Music for dancing is not necessarily the same as music for listening.

When organising the music for any performance of historical dance, the first thing to decide is whether or not to use live music. Music for dancing may be found on both CD and cassette, but live music has the immediacy that can bring vitality to a performance, especially if the musicians enjoy playing for dance. There are many groups around the country that are willing to do this. Even if the instruments are not always fully authentic, as with a folk-dance band, good rhythm will assist and inspire the dancers. (On the other hand, you can never be sure that your band will stick to agreed tempi or reproduce other features that are vital to successful dance performance. With recorded music you do at least know what you are going to get!). The National Early Music Association (NEMA) can advise you of groups in your area. They also publish an annual directory.

Collections and studies of dance music

Many of the original sources for particular dances also give the corresponding melody-line. Modern instruction-booklets (see Additional Resources) frequently do the same.

There are also publications in which all the dance music of a given age or type is brought together into one place:–

                    P. Aubry Estampies et danses royales (Paris, 1907; reprinted, Genève, 1975).

                    T. J. McGee Medieval Instrumental Dances (Indiana University Press, 1989).

F. Crane Materials for the Study of the Fifteenth Century Basse Danse (Musicological Studies, vol. 16, New York, 1968).

W. T. Marocco Inventory of 15th Century Bassedanze, Balli & Balletti in Italian Dance Manuals (CORD Dance Research Annual no 13, New York, 1981).

D. L. Heartz Sources and Forms of the French Instrumental Dance in the Sixteenth Century (Harvard University dissertation, 1957).

J. Ward Tudor and Stuart Dance and Dance Music (in preparation).

A. J. Sabol Four Hundred Songs & Dances from the Stuart Masque (Brown University Press, 1978).

J. Barlow The Complete Country Dance Tunes from Playford’s Dancing Master (1651-ca.1728) (London, 1985).

Recorded music

Although there are many recordings of Early Dance music, much of what is on offer was not necessarily arranged with actual dancing in mind. If the music is to be of practical use for learning to perform the original dances, it will be wise to check that the number of repeats and the tempi at which the music is played are suitable.

It is not possible to offer even an outline discography for Early Dance. The groups listed overleaf have made recordings in collaboration with a consultant Early Dance specialist with a view to their being used for dancing. (But not necessarily all their records of dance music are correct with regard to repeats, etc.; and other groups have also made excellent recordings of danceable music.)

Instruction-booklets listed under Additional Resources are mostly accompanied by the relevant music recorded on cassette.

Commercial recordings should not be used either for rehearsal or for public performance without notifying Phonographic Performance Ltd. PPL will then issue a licence and require a fee based on estimated annual usage.

Addresses

Brian Jordan 10 Green Street, Cambridge, CB2 3JU [books and music].

Early Music Centre Sutton House, 2-4 Homerton High Street, Hackney, London, E9 6JQ.

NEMA 8 Covent Garden, Cambridge, CB1 2HR.

PPL Ganton House, 14-22 Ganton Street, London, W1V 1LB.