A2 Music (Edexcel) - Galliard

Context

The galliard is a more energetic dance than the pavane, and is performed in triple time. ‘Ecce quam bonum’ translates to ‘oh how good a thing it is’, which is a quotation from Dante. Pavanes and galliards are normally performed in pairs, yet this galliard doesn’t match the pavane; it has a different key, theme, and descriptive title.

Forces

As for pavane- played by a consort of viols, but the music is not idiomatic so could be played by any appropriate instruments.

Rhythm

Uses doted rhythms (for example bar 1, part 1) and syncopation, such as in bar 1 part 4, to convey lively galliard style. In bar 3, the music changes to duple metre, but there is no change of time signature. This is emphasised…