The Black Death, and The Dancing ManiaHecker, J. F. C. (Justus Friedrich Carl)
History
The Black Death, and The Dancing Mania
Hecker, J. F. C. (Justus Friedrich Carl)
Black Death; Chorea, Epidemic; Epidemics
The music itself was of a kind perfectly adapted to the nature of the
malady, and it made so deep an impression on the Italians, that even to
the present time, long since the extinction of the disorder, they have
retained the tarantella, as a particular species of music employed for
quick, lively dancing. The different kinds of tarantella were
distinguished, very significantly, by particular names, which had
reference to the moods observed in the patients. Whence it appears that
they aimed at representing by these tunes even the idiosyncrasies of the
mind as expressed in the countenance. Thus there was one kind of
tarantella which was called "Panno rosso," a very lively, impassioned
style of music, to which wild dithyrambic songs were adapted; another,
called "Panno verde," which was suited to the milder excitement of the
senses caused by green colours, and set to Idyllian songs of verdant
fields and shady groves. A third was named "Cinque tempi:" a fourth
"Moresca," which was played to a Moorish dance; a fifth, "Catena;" and a
sixth, with a very appropriate designation, "Spallata," as if it were
only fit to be played to dancers who were lame in the shoulder. This was
the slowest and least in vogue of all. For those who loved water they
took care to select love songs, which were sung to corresponding music,
and such persons delighted in hearing of gushing springs and rushing
cascades and streams. It is to be regretted that on this subject we are
unable to give any further information, for only small fragments of
songs, and a very few tarantellas, have been preserved which belong to a
period so remote as the beginning of the seventeenth, or at furthest the
end of the sixteenth century.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account