Forlane

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The forlane (from Italian furlana), a traditional dance with a rapid rhythm, originated in Friuli. Introduced to France by André Campra at the end of the 17th century, it became a courtly dance.

Johann Sebastian Bach incorporated a forlane in his first orchestral suite. Maurice Ravel recalled the baroque usage in his piano suite Le Tombeau de Couperin, though a rather plaintive piece in moderate time. Another forlane occurs at the end of Ernest Chausson's piano suite Quelques Danses (Some Dances) — this one far livelier and featuring a cross-rhythm of 3 against 6.