Farandole

The Farandole, from Provençal Farandoulo is an historic Provencal folk dance in fast 6/8, in which an open dance, led by a dancer who dances different figures.

The musical accompaniment is done by a player with one-hand flute and tambourine, behind the pull the dancers through the streets. You can dance in a chain of couples who hold each other's hands or are connected to each other by cloths. They are moving away in spirals and tangles.

Various Internet sites ( eg, ) and older encyclopedias ( Brockhaus 1968: p.56) suggest that Farandole come from the 14th century, however, to always show without medieval quotes. Due to the round shape of folk dance researchers have a medieval or even ancient origin of the Farandole suspected ( eg, Alford 1932, Baumel 1958). However, at least, was the word " farandole " in the Middle Ages unknown because it is not found in dictionaries of the Old French and altokzitanischen language ( Mullally 2011: p.35 ) and its earliest mention of the year 1776 in France ( " farandoule " ) and to 1876 in England ( " Farandola " ) may be dated.

Georges Bizet composed a cheerful Farandole in his incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's L' Arlesienne. In the ballet Sleeping Beauty a Farandole occurs at the beginning of the second act.