Zwiefacher

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The Zwiefacher is a south German folk dance with a quick tempo and changing beat patterns.

1 Location
2 Name
3 Rhythm
4 Choreography
5 Lyrics
6 Examples in European classical music
7 Examples
8 External links
9 See also

[edit] Location

The Zwiefacher is danced primarily in Bavaria, especially Lower Bavaria, Hallertau and Upper Palatinate; it is also known in the Black Forest, Austria, Alsace, the Czech Republic and Sudetenland.

[edit] Name

The first documented usage of the word Zwiefach was in 1780. It loosely translates as "two times". Although this may be indicative of the two different time signatures, It is believed that the title actually refers to the couple being tightly wound against each other, a departure from earlier traditions.

The dance was originally known by various other names in different regions, such as Schweinauer, Schleifer, Übernfuaß, Mischlich, Grad und Ungrad, Neu-Bayerischer and, above all Bairischer (meaning Farmer Dance and sometimes confused with the Bavarian Polka.)

[edit] Rhythm

The Zwiefacher alternates between odd and even time signatures, changing from 3 to 2 beats per bar. The changes may occur in a regular way - for example, two measures per time signature, may change only once, or may change irregularly throughout. Early Zwiefachers were played before the modern bar line was invented.

[edit] Choreography

The couple turn very quickly in close position, similar to the Waltz. Physically, the rhythmic shift looks like a change from normal waltz steps to drehersteps (pivots), occasionally also to polkasteps.

[edit] Lyrics

Lyrics were often created as a mnemonic device in order to help learn Zwiefachers melodies by heart. This led to many songtexts for the same melodies. New lyrics are still sometimes used together with old melodies, as in the McDonalds-Parody "Hunger kriag i glei" by "Bayrisch-Diatonischer Jodelwahnsinn" which uses the same music as the Suserl-Zwiefache.

[edit] Examples in European classical music

Carl Orff composed one dance of his Carmina Burana in the Zwiefacher form.
The Furiant in Act Two of Bedřich Smetana's The Bartered Bride is a variant of the Zwiefacher.