A Courant by Frescobaldi (1591-1640) is in
triple time. As for its 'step,' Davies says it is 'on a triple dactile
foot,' 'close by the ground with sliding passages.' According to Sir
Toby, it would be a quicker and gayer dance than the Galliard, for he
compares the walk to church to the latter; but the more lighthearted
journey back to dinner he likens to the Coranto. The Jig would be even
faster, for Sir Andrew's 'very walk,' that is, his _week-day_ gait,
was to be 'a jig.'
3. The Galliard, in accordance with its derivation, is properly
described in _H. 5._ I, ii, 252, as a '_nimble_' galliard. This was
extremely popular, both as a virginal piece and for dancing. There is
quite a long list of Galliards by various composers, in Qu.
Elizabeth's Virginal Book. There are several in _Parthenia_ (1611) by
Byrde, Bull, and Gibbons. They are always in triple time, and consist
of either two or three strains of an even number of bars.
Sir Toby seems to connect a Galliard with somewhat violent 'capers.'
He remarks on the 'excellent constitution' of Sir Andrew's leg, 'it
was formed under the star of a galliard.' Sir Andrew complacently
replies, 'Ay, 'tis strong,' upon which Sir Toby proposes to the
foolish knight to give an example of his powers; 'Let me see thee
_caper_. Ha! _higher_.' This capering or 'sault majeur' was also a
feature of the 'high lavolt' [La Volta] mentioned in _Troilus_ IV, iv,
84, concerning which Sir John Davies says--
'An anapaest is all their music's song,
Whose first two feet are short, and third is long.
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