dalFrom

segno the(dal san'-yo) piano or horn. sign; a term It.indicating a Dampfung (demp'-foongh) Ger. n. repetition from the sign.« _ Damping, muffling; or hence, the entire set of dampers, the damping the signal to segno— Dal segno^ from directs£?a the sign —"**• mechanism, in the action of a piano, repetition of the music written be dance, Patagonian tween the two signs. Abbr. dal. s., d. s. See Patagonian dance. 168 149 dancing dance rhythms dance rhythms dances of savages the element of Since prehistoric times the intimate magic always enters. Thus certain relation existing between gesture and tribes of Indians dance when the food music has led to the expre ion of supply is low; in central Africa the dance rhythms in music, which owes rain-doctor, in time of draught, perits definitene of figure and phrase to forms a mystic dance to bring down dancing. The first rhythmic music rain; and the women of the Gold was that played as an accompaniment Coast, wishing to aid their husbands, dance war dances during the time of for dancing and consisted in the be at battle. ing of a drum or similar instrument. Dancing was used as an illustration In every ancient religion dancing for songs sung or recited. From was one of the chief acts of worship. their connection with dancing popular songs thus obtained a definite rhythm Among dancing the the Egyptians, invention who beb'eved of the god and in turn influenced more serious Thoth, religious choruses danced and compositions. This is illustrated by sang on their way to the temples; reference to the works of some of the Greek proce ions, moving with me as early composers such as Peri, Gagured tread, offered hymns of praise to liano, and Lully. The traces of dance Apollo, leader of the muses, one of rhythms are unmistakable in opera, whom, Terpsichore, was patrone of oratorio, sonata and symphony, and in the dance; the early Romans honored the modern orchestral symphony their gods with songs and dances; there is always at least one dance the Jew danced in praise of Jehovah; movement. Probably the waltz has David danced before the ark of God, had more influence than any other and later the dancing of Salome cost dance over modern composers. Some the head of John the Baptist. Christ of the most important dance movemas and Easter were celebrated by ments are: Bolero, Bourree, Cha dancing accompanied by song. conne, Cracoviak, Csardas, Fandango, In Spain and in some of the neigh- Gavotte, Mazurka, Minuet, Musette, boring islands religious dances during Polka, Polonaise, Saltarello, Sara- Holy Week still continue. bande, Tarantella and Waltz. For The choral dances of the Christians more detail, see under separate heads, fell into discredit and were con dance of Japan, rice demned by St. Augustine and other See rice dance of Japan. Fathers of the Church who thought dance of Madagascar, rice promiscuous dancing resulted in great See rice dance of Madagascar. sin. They especially disapproved of dance, ritual the fandango, but when the Sacred See ritual dances, College saw it danced, they were so dances charmed that they gave it their Airs composed for dancing, dancing There is always a close relation approval. Dancing is the moving of the body between the excellence of a nation's or feet to the rhythm of music. It is dancing and the excellence of its the expre ion of some emotion or music and poetry; no country shows dramatic feeling in gesture, and corthis better than Spain, where the responds to the spontaneous exp res national fondne for dancing exersion of strong emotion in song or cises considerable influence over their exclamation. It belongs to all ages music. The song of the Spaniards is and alls tinct nations, and is a primitive in full of feeling and expre es deep of man. pa ion; their love songs and choruses Just as in the early stages of have never been excelled. modern civilized races dancing was a In France the rise of chivalry gave practise, so today it is a custom of a new stimulus to dancing. Catherine the insular tribes of the South Sea, de Medici, who had shown the charm of the forest Indians of Brazil, of the of dancing to the Italians, introduced natives of Australia and central several lively dances of Italy into Africa, and of the Zulus. Ferocious she made them a spewar dances were held among the cial where France, feature of her festivities; she North American Indians, by which organized allegorical ballets, which means they were roused to the heights had foreshadowed the opera in Italy, of physical excitement and activity and which were the foundation of the and carried to victory. Into the opera in France; she raised the char- 169 150 dancing daybreak song acter of masquerades by a ociating Darmsaite them with the art of music and danc- A string (darm'-zi-te) made of catgut.Ger. n. ing. Louis XIVfounded, in 1661, a Darsteller (dar'-shtel-ler) Ger. n. Royal Academy of Dancing, and dur- A performer; a player or actor. ing his reign dancing reached its height in France. Darstellung n. (dar'-shtel-loongk) Ger. Throughout Europe the people still A performance; an exhibition, maintain their national dances, which das erhohete Sprachver mogen (das are characteristic of the races and the cla es to which they belong. Examer - ha' - S - te sprakh-far-ma'-gSn) ples of these are the Scotch Highland- Exalted Ger. declamation: a term used fling, hornpipe. the Irish jig, and the sailor's by Wagner in reference to the declamatory style in singing, which was Danklied (dank'-let) Ger. n. brought to a higher point of perfection A song of thanksgiving. in his operas than it had ever reached danse de matelot (dans du mat-16) Fr. before. Literally, sailor's dance: a hornpipe, dash dan series (dans-re) Fr. n. 1. A short vertical stroke t Tunes used for dancing. placed above a note or J P danseur chord to indicate that it is Sot I A male(dafi-sur') dancer, Fr. n. to be played staccato. A * danseuse (dafi-suz') le marked staccato is indicated by a A female dancer, Fr. n. dot instead of a dash.