Bourrée

What it means

The bourrée is a fast French dance in duple time, usually in alla breve, that is, with two half notes per bar. The spelling Bourée is a variant form; Bourrée is the usual one.

Characteristic is a quarter-note upbeat leading to the strong first beat, as well as a lively, cheerful character with a distinct lilt. The phrases are clearly articulated, often in groups of two or four bars.

The bourrée is to be distinguished from the gavotte, a related French dance in duple time: the gavotte begins with an upbeat of two quarter notes, that is, half a bar, and is more measured. The bourrée starts with a shorter upbeat and is quicker.

In the notation

The bourrée is usually in alla breve, recognizable by the sign ¢ or the marking 2/2, and begins with a quarter-note upbeat. It is divided into two repeated sections. Often a first bourrée is followed by a second, after which the first is repeated — a layout that corresponds to that of minuet and trio.

Musical use

The bourrée comes from the French folk dance tradition and became a court dance in the seventeenth century. In the Baroque suite it belongs to the galanteries, the additional dances that may be inserted between the sarabande and the gigue. It is common in orchestral and keyboard suites and in solo works for string instruments. As a folk dance it has survived in certain regions of France to this day.

Stylized bourrées are found in Bach's French and English Suites and in the suites for solo cello. In Bach's suites it often stands before the gigue. In Bach's orchestral suites it appears in pairs as Bourrée I and II with a da capo repeat.

Performance practice

Count in two half notes, not in four quarter notes — otherwise the dance becomes heavy. Play the upbeat lightly and let it run toward the strong downbeat. Keep the articulation clear and springy. And make sure the phrase structure stays audible without interrupting the tempo.