7.1 The French overture and dance suite

French Baroque instrumental music blended elegance with structure. Dance suites and overtures formed the backbone, with composers like Lully, Couperin, and Rameau shaping distinctive styles. These forms showcased French refinement through stylized dances and majestic openings.

The French approach contrasted with Italian virtuosity, emphasizing grace over drama. Composers crafted intricate suites, balancing traditional dance forms with innovative harmonies and ornamentation. This music reflected the sophistication of French court culture while pushing artistic boundaries.

French Baroque Instrumental Music

Characteristics of French overture style

Top images from around the web for Characteristics of French overture style

• 

  Armide, LWV 71 (Lully, Jean-Baptiste) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jean-Baptiste Lully - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Category:Phaëton (Lully) – Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Armide, LWV 71 (Lully, Jean-Baptiste) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jean-Baptiste Lully - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Characteristics of French overture style

• 

  Armide, LWV 71 (Lully, Jean-Baptiste) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jean-Baptiste Lully - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Category:Phaëton (Lully) – Wikimedia Commons View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Armide, LWV 71 (Lully, Jean-Baptiste) - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Jean-Baptiste Lully - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Opens with a slow, majestic section in duple meter featuring dotted rhythms and double-dotting to create a stately atmosphere
• Transitions into a faster fugal section in duple meter showcasing imitative counterpoint and sequential passages that demonstrate compositional skill
• Closes with a slow, majestic section similar to the opening, often concluding with a Picardy third (major chord at the end of a minor-key piece) for a sense of resolution
• Pioneered by Jean-Baptiste Lully in his opera overtures and subsequently adopted by other French composers as a standard form
• Played a significant role in shaping the development of the orchestral suite and the French opera overture as distinct musical genres

Structure of French Baroque dance suites

• Comprises a collection of stylized dance movements in the same key, frequently preceded by a French overture to establish the tonality and character
• Begins with an Allemande, a moderate-tempo dance in duple meter with a contrapuntal texture and continuous rhythmic motion that sets the suite's foundation
• Followed by a Courante, a fast-paced dance in triple meter characterized by rhythmic complexity, including hemiolas and syncopations that showcase the composer's skill
• Features a Sarabande, a slow, expressive dance in triple meter with an emphasis on the second beat and elaborate melodic ornamentations that highlight the performer's artistry
• Concludes with a Gigue, a lively, fast-tempo dance in compound duple or triple meter with a fugal or imitative texture that ends the suite on an energetic note
• May include optional dances such as Menuet, Gavotte, Bourrée, Passepied, Loure, Chaconne, or Passacaglia to add variety and showcase specific musical or choreographic elements

Role of dance in French Baroque music

• Serves as the structural and stylistic foundation for instrumental compositions, particularly the suite, by providing a framework for musical expression
• Elevated from functional dances to art music through composers' stylization and refinement of dance forms, showcasing their creativity and craftsmanship
• Provides a platform for exploring musical expression, ornamentation, and virtuosity within the context of specific dance characteristics and conventions
• Influences the overall structure and emotional arc of the suite through the character and tempo of each dance movement, creating a cohesive musical narrative
• Demonstrates composers' mastery of counterpoint, harmony, and instrumental writing by adapting dance forms to showcase their technical and expressive skills

French vs Italian Baroque instrumental styles

• French style emphasizes elegance, refinement, and ornamentation, with a preference for the dance suite and French overture, and a focus on wind and keyboard instruments (harpsichord)
  • Employs a more restrained use of dynamics and a controlled approach to tempo fluctuations, prioritizing grace and poise over dramatic contrast
• Italian style prioritizes virtuosity, expressiveness, and drama, favoring the sonata, concerto, and solo instrumental music, with a focus on string instruments (violin)
  • Features more pronounced use of dynamics, tempo changes, and improvisatory elements to create an emotionally charged and technically impressive performance
• Both styles influence each other over time, with French composers incorporating Italian virtuosity and Italians adopting French dance forms and ornamentation techniques

Composers and Their Contributions

Major French Baroque composers' contributions to dance suites and overtures

• Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687):
  • Establishes the French overture style through his opera overtures, setting the standard for the form's structure and character
  • Standardizes the instrumentation and ensemble size of the French Baroque orchestra, creating a distinctive sound and texture
  • Composes ballets and instrumental music that shape the development of the dance suite, popularizing the form and its stylistic conventions
• François Couperin (1668-1733):
  • Composes harpsichord suites that refine the French style, incorporating elements of the Italian sonata to create a synthesis of national styles
  • Develops the "pièces de clavecin" (harpsichord pieces) genre, which includes character pieces and programmatic music that expand the expressive range of the instrument
  • Writes "L'Art de toucher le clavecin" (The Art of Playing the Harpsichord), an influential treatise on keyboard technique and ornamentation that codifies French performance practice
• Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764):
  • Composes harpsichord suites and character pieces that push the boundaries of the instrument's technical and expressive possibilities, showcasing his innovative approach to keyboard writing
  • Writes groundbreaking theoretical works, such as "Traité de l'harmonie" (Treatise on Harmony), which establishes the foundation for modern harmonic theory and analysis
  • Incorporates elements of the French overture style and dance forms in his operas and instrumental works, demonstrating the versatility and adaptability of these musical structures