In the previous chapter it was stated that the various dances, such as the minuet, sarabande, allemande, etc., led up to our modern sonata form, or, perhaps, to put it more clearly, they led up to what we call sonata form. As a matter of fact, already in the seventeenth century, we find the word _sonata_ applied to musical compositions; generally to pieces for the violin, but rarely for the harpsichord. The word sonata was derived originally from the Italian word _suonare_, "to sound," and the term was used to distinguish instrumental from vocal music. The latter was sung (_cantata_), the former was sounded (_suonata_) by instruments. Thus many pieces were called _suonatas_; the distinguishing point being that they were _played_ and not sung. Organ sonatas existed as far back as 1600 and even earlier, but the earliest application of the word seems to have been made in connection with pieces for the violin. Dances were often grouped together, especially when they had some slight intrinsic musical value. Probably the term _sonata_ first designated a composition in one of these dance forms not intended for dancing. Gradually groups of dances were called _suites_; then, little by little, the dance titles of the separate numbers were dropped, and the _suite_ was called _sonata_. These different numbers, however, retained their dance characteristics, as we shall see later. The arrangement of the pieces composing the _suites_ differed in various countries. There were French, Italian, German, and English suites, generally, however, retaining the same grouping of the different movements. The first movement consisted of an _allemande_; then came a _courante_; then a _minuet_; then a _sarabande_; and last of all a _gigue_; all in the same key. Sometimes the _minuet_ and _sarabande_ changed places, just as in modern times do the _andante_ and _scherzo_.