A Thought On Sarabandes…

The tango originated in the brothels of Buenos Aries. Nowadays, it’s a much more respectful dance, especially if you go to Finland. The sarabande had a very very similar life, starting as a fast, vivacious dance in Central America in the 16^th Century, which was then brought to Europe and banned in Spain in 1583, as it excited the wrong passions in people. It was often played in a fast tempo in 6/4 and was accompanied by castanets and guitars (just like a tango).

The sarabande had the most dramatic evolution of the baroque dance forms and by the time Bach was composing it had become a majestic and tranquil affair. The only remnant of its earlier life is that there are three beats to a bar. Steven Isserlis writes that “the choreography could by this time include almost imperceptible glides and magical moments of immobility.”