sarabande

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sarabande (Sp. Zarabanda). Dance form in 17th and 18th cents. Originated in Lat. America, appearing in Sp. in early 16th cent. Was banned by Philip II in 1583 because it was regarded as loose and ugly, ‘exciting bad emotions’. Introduced to Fr. and Eng. in early 17th cent., where a stately version, in slow triple time, was preferred to the lively Sp. original. Sarabandes became a standard movt. of the suite in instr. works by Purcell, J. S. Bach, and Handel. In 20th cent. it has been revived by Debussy, Satie, Vaughan Williams (in Job), and Britten (in Simple Symphony).

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