9 Branles de Bourgogne
Pierre Phalése
This is a set of 9 Branles de Bourgogne from the music collection of Pierre Phalése (1510 - 1573), also known by his slightly Latinized name Petrus Phalesius.
Pierre Phalése started a book company in Louvain (Flanders, Belgium) in 1545 and quickly expanded it to a publishing house. In four years he published six collections of lute tablatures with mant dances and arrangements of well-known songs and motets. Later he improved his production methods, which enabled him to increase his output.
Some call him composer, but in fact he was a music collector. Nobody complained about being “collected” by him, because music publications were rare in those days: if you were published as a composer, you were almost famous. Thus there is a lot of “borrowed” music in Phalése’s publications -presently they wouyld call that piracy- with music by famous composers such as Attaignant, Le Roy, Valderrabano and Newsidler.
Originally a Branle was a 16th century round dance for couples with all kinds of variations in style. Characteristic for a Branle is the strict rhythm, some Branles have a drone bass that causes an effect like a bagpipe. The Branle still exists in British, French and Flemish folk music.
Branles are fast dances, so speed is the challenge. Play these Branles as a suite, or make a selection.