sarabande

/ ˈsærəˌbænd /

noun

1. a decorous 17th-century courtly dance
2. music a piece of music composed for or in the rhythm of this dance, in slow triple time, often incorporated into the classical suite

Word History and Origins

Origin of sarabande¹

C17: from French, from Spanish zarabanda, of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

A graceful aria in the style of a sarabande goes through 30 variations.

From New York Times

Kidjo's latest collaboration is with cellist Yo-Yo Ma - and they will be performing a version of JS Bach's Sarabande in Paris in December.

From BBC

The broad opening chords of Gili Schwarzman’s “Preludium” — a stand-alone piece like Tower’s — found strength in patience, and Bach’s Sarabande, already the suite’s most pensive music, felt utterly transformed in its murmuring solitude.

From New York Times

Wrapping up the section, the ghostly harmonics of the second movement of Allison Loggins-Hull’s “Chasing Balance” and the whispered echoes of Chen Yi’s “Mountain Tune” seemed to emerge from the distant place of the Sarabande.

From New York Times

Widmann’s surprisingly light touch serves the Sarabande especially well, and in the vast Chaconne her playing is so natural and elegant that it tilts the balance away from the music’s spiritual angst just enough to allow a listener to appreciate the beauty of Bach’s writing anew.

From New York Times