Passamezzo antico

The Passamezzo (Italian, also Pass'e mezzo, Passo e mezzo ) was an Italian border geradtaktiger dance of the 16th and 17th century, similar to the Pavane. Part of the term was used synonymously with Pavane, part of Passamezzo was a private dance, a little faster than the Pavane. As the Pavane Gaillarde also with the Passamezzo was regularly associated with a rapid after-dance, the saltarello.

Characteristic of the Passamezzo is the variation of the melody over a given bass line ( basso ostinato ). Predominant were two harmonic models: the Passamezzo Antico in minor and Passamezzo Moderno in the major. Both models were probably around 1540. Printed in the collections of the 16th century about 121 pieces are titled as Passamezzo. Of these, 40 use the Antico and 35, the Moderno schema. In the 17th century, these two models were almost exclusively used as the basis for composition.

Passamezzo Antico

The Passamezzo Antico (English Passing Measures Pavan ) was characterized by the following chord progression:

I - VII - i - V - III (or i) - VII - i V - i

The Folia and the romanesca are closely related variants of this harmonic model.

Passamezzo Moderno

The Passamezzo Moderno (. Passamezzo also commune, Novo; engl Quadro or quadrant Pavan, derived from b quadratum, so the Passamezzo in major) was the most common harmonic model of the Renaissance:

I - IV - I - V - I - IV - V I - I