[SCA-Dance] Black Almain question/speculation

Mary Railing mrailing at kiva.net
Sun Mar 16 19:40:40 EDT 2008


>There are some other measures with sets and turns. The slips are
>pretty unique. Black Almain does fit the general pattern of
>"processional section, followed by something that doesn't go
>anywhere". It is unusual in that the second section is a lot longer
>than the first.
>
>-- Gregory


The slips (called "slides" or "French slides" in the original sources)  are
not unique, but they may be reflect later style. For example, the Old Alman
in the oldest source (Rawlinson poet. 108) begins with "ij singles a
double".  Later sources add something about taking both hands.  The two
latest sources say "Take both hands and slide..."  Likewise the Queen's
Alman in the two latest sources says "slide four doubles round about the
Hall".  Black Alman does not appear in the oldest source.  The earliest
source it appears in (Douce 280) says "slide upwardes.4." and "slyde
down.4." which I think is the only reference to slides in that source.
Remember that the measures as we do them are a product of reconstruction
choices from several sources.

I cribbed all this from _Dances from the Inns of Court_ by Peter and
Janelle Durham (Trahaern and Janelyn) self-published, but they're on this
list if they want to tell people how to get a copy.

--Urraca


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