galliard

views updated Jun 08 2018

galliard (It. gagliarda; Fr. gaillard). Lively dance, from 15th cent. or earlier, in simple triple time. Featured a group of 5 steps, and was therefore sometimes called cinque passi (It.), cinque pas (Fr.), and cinque pace or sink-a-pace (Eng.). Often paired and contrasted with the slower pavan, this assoc. being the origin of the suite. Vaughan Williams's Job contains a modern galliard.

galliard

views updated May 11 2018

galliard †valiant; (arch.) lively, gay XIV. — (O)F. gaillard, perh. f. Rom. *gallia strength, power, of Celt. orig.; see -ARD. As the name of a lively dance (XVI) — F. galliarde, sb. use of fem. adj.

galliard

views updated Jun 11 2018

gal·liard / ˈgalyərd/ • n. hist. a lively dance in triple time for two people, including complicated turns and steps.

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