Saltarello

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The saltarello was a lively, merry dance first mentioned in Naples during the 13th century. The music survives, but no early instructions for the actual dance are known. It was played in a fast triple meter and is named for its peculiar leaping step, after the Italian verb saltare ("to jump"). The saltarello enjoyed great popularity in the courts of medieval Europe.

During the 15th century, the word saltarello became the name of a particular dance step (a double with a hop on the final or initial upbeat), and the name of a meter of music (a fast triple), both of which appear in many choreographed dances. Entire dances consisting of only the saltarello step and meter are described as being improvised dances in 15th century Italian dance manuals. This step and meter do not appear in 16th century dance manuals, except in passing.

Later the saltarello became a favorite tradition of the Carnival festivities in Rome. After witnessing the Roman Carnival of 1831, the German composer Felix Mendelssohn incorporated the dance into the finale of one of his masterpieces, the Italian Symphony.

The main source for the medieval Italian saltarello music is a British Library manuscript labelled "Add. 29987". The more renowned opus of the manuscript is the second saltarello in the collection. The musical form of these early saltarelli is the same as the estampie.

Besides serious ensembles for historically correct performance, within the last 20 years this piece was also arranged by several rather modern ensembles of gothic-pop, metal- and romantic medieval music, most notably the alternative-romantic band Dead Can Dance, as well as the Polish jazz pianist Leszek Mozdzer.