Annotation:Bagatelle (1) (La)

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BAGATELLE, LA. AKA - "Bagatelle, Le." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. In addition to the printing by Samuel, Ann & Peter Thompson in their Compleat Collection, vol. 5 (London, 1788), the tune appears in Longman, Lukey, & Broderip's Bride's Favourite Collection of 200 Select Country Dances, Cotillons (London, c. 1776). The date of 1776 for the latter work is questionable, according to the late Bruce Olson, who determined that at least the last (fourth) section was from about 1781, while the last twelve pages of section three are the 24 dances for 1773. There are other tunes called "La/Le Bagatelle", all presumably French in origin. The word bagatelle in music is an 18th century term that means a "trifle, a thing of no value or importance", as a reference to the light style of a piece, in the same sense that the word "Maggot" was used in England in the 17th century for the same purpose.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Thompson (Compleat Collecton of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5), 1788; No. 145, p. 73.

Recorded sources:

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