Composer

:

Ferruccio Busoni

Genre

:

Keyboard

Compose Date

:

July 22, 1878-December 22, 1879

Publication Date

:

1882

First Performance

:

1880

Average_duration

:

13:32

Movement_count

:

4

Movement ....

Ferruccio Busoni's 'Danze antiche (4)', Op. 11, KiV 126, is a set of four pieces for piano solo. The composition was completed in 1885 when Busoni was only 18 years old. The premiere of the work took place in Helsinki, Finland, in 1888, with Busoni himself performing. The four movements of 'Danze antiche' are titled 'Gagliarda', 'Courante', 'Balletto', and 'Volta'. Each movement is based on a dance form from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The first movement, 'Gagliarda', is a lively dance in triple meter, characterized by its syncopated rhythms and energetic melodies. The second movement, 'Courante', is a more stately dance in quadruple meter, with a flowing melody and graceful ornamentation. The third movement, 'Balletto', is a playful dance in triple meter, featuring a light and airy melody that is passed between the hands of the pianist. The final movement, 'Volta', is a lively dance in triple meter, with a driving rhythm and virtuosic passages that showcase the pianist's technical abilities. Overall, 'Danze antiche' is a charming and engaging work that showcases Busoni's early compositional style. The pieces are characterized by their lively rhythms, playful melodies, and intricate ornamentation, all of which reflect the dance forms on which they are based. Despite its relative simplicity compared to Busoni's later works, 'Danze antiche' remains a popular and frequently performed piece in the piano repertoire.

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