Music of the Week: October 6 - October 10

Who was Anthony Holborne?

an English composer who was born about 1550 and died in 1602. Very little is known about him.

• he was a 'Gentleman and Servant to her most excellent Maiesti'" and that he in some fashion served Queen Elizabeth I of England, although it is uncertain what his exact duties were.

• in 1599, he published a collection of consort music, Pavans, Galliards, Almains, and other short Aeirs both grave, and light, in five parts, for Viols, Violins or other Musicall Winde Instruments,consisting of 65 different compositions.

• According to a letter written by his wife, he suffered from a bad cold in November, 1602, which was the cause of his death at the end of that month.

Dancing was a favorite pastime in the Renaissance. Dancing was an elegent form of exercise and an expected social skill for the noble. The important part of the 16th century dance was the footwork.

The Galliard: The galliard is in triple meter (3/4) and it's a lively dance. The music is in a simple, homophonic stlye. It could also be danced alone or in couples, using a series of sideways steps, turns, and hops. The galliard was sometimes performed by a solo dancer who would embellish the dance with complex variations of fast steps and high jumps

The Almain: The almain or allemande is a chain dance in duple time (4/4), which can move forwards or backwards. It usually has a forward movement.  It is called the allemande because it began in Germany, and the French word for Germany is allemand.