Sarabande

The sarabande is a slow, stately dance that originated in the 16th‑century Spanish colonies of the New World and later spread to the Iberian Peninsula and France. Its early form was lively and accompanied by clapping, but by the early Baroque era the rhythm had been regularized into a triple meter with an emphasis on the second beat, giving the dance a solemn, expressive character.

In France the sarabande became a staple of the courtly dance repertoire and was incorporated into instrumental suites, most notably those of Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, and François Couperin. Within a four‑movement suite the sarabande typically follows the allemande and courante and precedes the jig or gigue, providing a moment of reflective contrast. Composers often employed ornamental figuration, expressive suspensions, and harmonic nuance to enhance its introspective mood.

The sarabande also appeared in vocal music, particularly in the sacred and secular cantatas of the Baroque period, where its rhythmic pattern supported recitative or aria sections. Its influence extended into the Classical era, though it gradually fell out of favor as faster dance forms dominated.

Modern performers and scholars regard the sarabande as a significant example of the transformation of a popular dance into a sophisticated artistic form. Recordings and editions continue to explore its expressive depth, and the dance remains a subject of study in music history, performance practice, and dance archaeology.