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Court, Church, and Province: Dancing in the Netherlands, Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2014

Lynn Matluck Brooks
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Extract

While considerable scholarly attention has begun to turn to Baroque dance, researchers have most frequently investigated French or English sources. The Netherlands, strongly influenced by both of these nations, has perhaps been overlooked because of its small size, its seemingly minor role relative to larger powers in world affairs in this period, and the difficulty of non-Dutch scholars with the language. Nevertheless, the flourishing Dutch court, the nation's extensive commercial activity, and the cultural wealth of the Netherlands make research into the theatre and dance of this period rewarding and enlightening. Further, the excellent research facilities available in the Netherlands make research in that country a scholar's delight. The intention of this study is to document the dancing activities of the Dutch court, to contrast these with dancing in a distant province of the land, and to explore the effects of religious attitudes on both of these situations.

Type
Research Article
Information
Dance Research Journal , Volume 20 , Issue 1 , Summer 1988 , pp. 19 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © Congress on Research in Dance 1988

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References

NOTES

1. Koning, p. 13. On the dancing masters at the courts of the Hague and Leeuwarden in this period, see: KH 28, #159-1684, '86; KH F-1, 1696-1725. On French influence in the Netherlands, see: Kraayenga, Andre, Hof en Stad-Leeuwarden, 1707-1807 (Leeuwarden: Fries Museum & Museum het Princessehof, 1983), p. 9Google Scholar, and Price, pp. 220-25. French influence can also be noted in the fact that French was often the language chosen by Dutch royalty for diaries or correspondence, and is even used on occasion in this period for household record-keeping.

2. KH 28, #85/167.21.

3. KH F-1 — 1753-61, and 1759. Regarding the Gautier family, see: Brooks, , and de Smet, Monique, La Musique à la Cour de Guillaume V, Prince D'Orange (1748-1806) (Utrecht: Vereniging voor Neder landse Musiekgeschiedenis, 1973)Google Scholar.

4. See: Brooks, Lynn Matluck, “Dancing at a Dutch University: The Franeker Dancing Master, 1682-1796,” in Dance Chronicle, vol. 9, No. 3, 1986, pp. 356–85CrossRefGoogle Scholar. Gautier's request to the Academy's curators for release from his post was supported by a letter from the Stadhouder himself.

5. KH “Hofhouding” — 1780, 1769-95.

6. HG MS 90: Gautier, P.N., Dix Contre-danse Engloises et Deux Francoises Avec leur Explication, Oeuvre IVe (The Hague and Amsterdam: Hummel et Fils, ca. 1780)Google Scholar.

7. v.d. Ven-Ten Bensel, pp. 239-41; “Engelse contradansen met Friese namen” in Leeuwarder Courant 28 Dec. 1982. Also see: “Contredanse,” by Burford, Freda, in Groves Dictionary of Music (London: MacMillan, 1980)Google Scholar.

8. Brainard, Ingrid, “New Dances for the Ball” in Early Music, xiv, 1986, pp. 164–73CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

9. HG MS 75: Pointel, Antoine, Airs de danses angloises, hollandoises et françoises à deux parties dessus et basse (Amsterdam; Paris: Christoph Ballard, 1700)Google Scholar.

10. Twaalf contredansen voor de viool en dwars fluyt: als mede met desself figuren om se op een gemakelyke wysen de selven te dansen (Amsterdam: S. Markordt, 1777-?)Google Scholar. The following volumes of this collection are in the holdings of the Haags Gemeentemuseum: MS 81 and 82 by L. Baland; MS 83 by G. Lamberger; MS 85 and 86, anonymous.

11. HG MS 84: Otto, H., Een Menuet met Ses Engelse Contredansen voor Primo en Secondo Viool, en met desselfs Figuren geëxpliceert Voor Eerst beginnende Leer lingen (Amsterdam: Weduwe [widow] Markordt, 1777-?)Google Scholar

12. HG MS 87: Anonymous, XII Contredances Avec Figures et Accompagnement à 7 Instruments: Deux Violons, Deux Hautbois, Deux Cors de Chasse, et Basse, Composees et produites à l'occasion de la Fête Donnée pour la naissance de la Jeune Princesse d'Orange et de Nassau. Le lite Janvier 1771. (Amsterdam: S. Markordt, 1771)Google Scholar.

13. HG MS 98: Nieuwe Verzaamelinge van Hollandsche Contradansen, menuetten en pluggen: 1ste deel, gecomponeerd in den eerste smaak door verscheide meesters (Amsterdam: J.J. Hummel, 1780-?)Google Scholar.

14. HG MS 100: Anonymous, Recueil de contredanses pour deux violons avec les figures/composés par un amateur (Amsterdam: J.B. Nolting, 1780-?)Google Scholar.

15. HG MS 68: Bacquoy-Guédon, Alexis, Méthode pour exercer l'oreille à la mesure, dans l'art de la danse. (Amsterdam; Paris: Valade, ca. 1784)Google Scholar.

16. Barnouw, Adriaan J., “The Seventeenth Century: The Golden Age,” in The Netherlands, ed. Landheer, B. (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1944), pp. 60–63Google Scholar; Grattan, Thomas C., The History of the Netherlands (Philadelphia: Carey, 1835), pp. 262–70Google Scholar; Price, Chapter Eight.

17. Smet, pp. 106-11, 115, 119, 122-29, 132-33, 152-53; Grattan, p. 263.

18. Koninklijk Huisarchief (hereafter cited as KH) 28, #306.

19. Goslings, J.H., “Uit het Friesche Hofleven in de 17e en 18e Eeuw” in Leeuwarden, 1435-1935 (Leeuwarden: Noord-Nederlandsche Boekhandel, 1935), p. 210Google Scholar.

20. KH Hofhouding, 1769, 76.

21. Regin, Deric, Traders, Artists, Burghers (Assen: v. Gorcum, 1976), p. 106Google Scholar; also: pp. 49-54, 130-31. See also: Koning, David, Ballet in Nederland (Amsterdam: de Bezige Bij, 1957), pp. 13–15Google Scholar; Sipma, pp. 135-37; and, “Uit in Amsterdam,” exhibit on Amsterdam's historical diversions and entertainments held at the Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, July 1985.

22. Wittewrongel, in his Oeconomia Christiana, quoted in Koning, p. 14. Ballet in the Netherlands progressed furthest, however, in the early eighteenth century under such French masters as Jean le Rochefort. His extensive and detailed choreographic notebooks, held at the Netherlands Theatre Institute [Balletmanuscripten van de Balletmeester van de Amsterdamsche Schouwburg, 1802-11, Jean le Rochefort, 3 volumes], provide a rich source for ballet choreography and production in a period when Amsterdam's dance theatre could compete with French companies. These notebooks contain many titles, with detailed scene-by-scene description of actions, sets, props, characters, movements, and names of musical selections. The material is primarily in Dutch, with some sections in French.

23. Provinciate Bibliotheek Friesland Pb 12865, “Feuilleton: De Akademie-dansschool te Franeker, of mag een Christen dansen?” ca. 1882-83.

24. Haags Gemeentemuseum (hereafter cited as HG) MS 5, Een kort Tractaetjen van de Danssen, Tot dienst van den Eenvoudigen uyt de Latijnsche in Nederduytsche Tale Over-geset: ende op eenige Plaetsen door den Autheur vermeerdert. (Utrecht: 1644). Throughout this booklet, Voetius includes references to letters, books, and other texts which substantiate his comments. Gisbertus Voetius is mentioned in Haley, pp. 91, 162. Additional discussion of theological attitudes toward dancing can be found in Brooks.

25. HG MS 6, Brief geschreven van Ph. v. Marnix, Heer van St. Aldegonde, aengaende de kerkelijcke tucht ende het danssen, 1649 publication of letters written in the last half of the sixteenth century, translated from Latin to Dutch. On Marnix, see: Jansen, p. 81.

26. On the Franeker case, see: Brooks, cited above, and: Huber, Ulricus, Gevoelens van eenige beroemde Gereformeerde THEOLOGANTEN Ende andere Wijse Mannen Nopens de DAN-SOEFFENINGE; Mitsgaders Beschejdt op een Missive daer van onlangs uitgegeven (Leeuwarden: Hero Nauta, 1683) pp. 9–10Google Scholar; Paludanus, Theodoras, Korte Bedenkingen op de Gevoelens van eenige beroemde Gereformeerde Theologanten, &c. Nopens de DANS-OEFFENINGE Op nieuw uytgegeven van de Beroemde en Hooggeleer de Heer, De Autheur van de hier vooren weder leyde Schriften, (Leeuwarden, April 1683), pp. 12–14Google Scholar.

27. Haley, pp. 104-09; HG MS 4, Naeranus, Joannes, Predicatie tegen 't dansen (Rotterdam: 1643)Google Scholar.

28. Cuperus, pp. 104-05.

29. HG MS 18, le Roy, Daniel, Oodeelkundige aanmerkingen over de dansseryen zoo der oude als latere volken … betoogt met betrekking tot ons hedendaagsche Christendom (Rotterdam: Nicolaas Korte, 1722)Google Scholar.

30. Background on the seventeenth century in Friesland can be found in: Eekhoof, W., Beknopte Geschiedenis van Friesland, (“Leeuwarden” Eekhoff, 1851)Google Scholar; and Faber, J. A., Drie Eeuwen Friesland, (Leeuwarden: DeTille, 1973)Google Scholar. Background on the seventeenth century in the Netherlands can be found in: Haley, K.H.D., The Dutch in the Seventeenth Century (London: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Inc., 1972)Google Scholar; Jansen, H.P.H., Kalendarium Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen in Jaartallen (Utrecht: Het Spectrum, 1982)Google Scholar; Price, J.L., Culture and Society in the Dutch Republic During the Seventeenth Century (NY: Scribners, 1974)Google Scholar; and Roberts, J.M., History of the World (NY: Penquin, 1980)Google Scholar.

31. Oosterhof, A.P., “De Stadsmuziek” in Leeuwarden 1435-1935 (Leeuwarden Noord-Nederlandsche Boekhandel, 1935), pp. 225–41Google Scholar.

32. Visscher, R., “lets over het Muziekleven te Leeuwarden in het begin der 17e eeuw,” in De Vrije Fries (1928), pp. 21–24Google Scholar; Starter, Jan J., Friesche Lust-Hof (1621)Google Scholar; intro. Part I. J.H. Brouwer; intro. Part II, Marie Veldhuyzen (Zwolle: Tjeenk Willink, 1966); Rijksarchief in Leeuwarden (hereafter cited as RL) Staten Archief (hereafter cited as StAr) inv. 5.15, sec. 37; see also: Lambooy, Th. P. A., Leeuwarden Musiceert—Anderhalve Eeuw muziek leven in de Friese hoofdstadt: 1780-1940, (Leeuwarden: Miedema, 1974) p. 8Google Scholar; Sipma, P., “De oorsprong van het Friesche Tooneel,” in De Vrije Fries (1917) p. 137Google Scholar.

33. Brouwer, J.H., “Inleiding” to part I, Friesche Lust-Hof, 1621 (rpt.: Zwolle: Tjeenk Willink, 1966, pp. 9–13Google Scholar.

34. Elise v.d. Bensel, Ven-Ten and v.d. Ven, D.J., De Volksdans in Nederland (Naarden: A. Rutgers: 1942), p. 239Google Scholar.

35. Sipma, pp. 138-39; Cuperus, p. 103.

36. Veldhuyzen, Maria, “Inleiding” to part II, Friesche Lust-Hof, 1621 (rpt.: Zwolle: Tjeenk Willink, 1966, pp. 7–10Google Scholar.

37. Rogier, Estienne, Oude en nieuwe Hollantse Boerenlietjes en Contredansen, Reprinted in Amsterdam: F. Knuf, 1972Google Scholar.

38. Visscher, (Muziekleven), p. 24; RI StAr Gk9a — 1590-1604; StAr Gk16 — 1597-1649; StAr Gk16 — 1609-1650; StAr Gk 18,2 — 1581 & '86; Archief van de Classis te Leeuwarden 2 — 1683; Archief van de Classis te Franeker — 1683.

39. RL StAr GI 9a. 10. 16; Visscher, p. 24; Cuperus, S., Kerkelijk leven der hervormden in Friesland Tijdens de republiek (Leeuwarden: Meijer & Schaafsma, 1916), pp. 70, 102–03Google Scholar; Baaren, T.v., Dans en religie (Antwerp: de Haan NV, 1962), p. 36Google Scholar.

40. Starter, p. 21. All translations in this text are by Lynn Brooks.

41. Frisia Illustrata no. 7, “Tien eeuwen Friesland, de Friezen en hun vertier,” (Leeuwarden: De Tille-Waanders & het Fries Museum, 1984), pp. 165–66Google Scholar.

42. Nederlands Instituut voor de Dans, Mr. Aernout v. Overbeke, in Rym-Werken 1670.

43. HG MS 24: Wolff-Bekker, Elizabeth, De onverander lijke Santhorstsche Geloofsbelydenis in rym gebragt door eene zuster der Santhorstsche gemeent. 1772-(?)Google Scholar.

44. Frisia illustrata, p. 155, Dykstra, Waling, Uit Friesland's volksleven van vroeger en later, (Leeuwarden: Fryske Akademy, 1966), p. 191Google Scholar.

45. Archive inventory 5.15, section 8, 1671-1768; Frisia illustrata, p. 166; Kleijn, A. A., De Stadhouders van Friesland uit het Huis van Nassau (Nijkerk: Callenbach, 1904), pp. 125–26Google Scholar.

46. The names “Abraham” and “Jean (Jan) Baptiste” suggest that these dancing masters may have been of Jewish extraction, and had come to the relatively tolerant Netherlands to escape persecution in other European lands.

47. KH 28, #306. O n Princess Anna in Friesland, see: Kraayenga, p. 9; RL, FrStadhAr 5611 — 5 July 1735. O n Princess Caroline's birthday party, see: Goslings, p. 221.

48. Goslings, p. 221.

49. Lambooy, pp. 7-13, 16, 30; Wumkes, p. 193, 277. See also: Frisia Illustrata, pp. 158, 164; Wumkes, p. 359.

50. Leeuwarder Courant, 26 Dec. 1759, 1 Nov. 1783; see also: Brooks.

51. Leeuwarder Courant, 3 July 1793 and, regarding the contredanse, 28 Dec. 1982.

52. Leeuwarder Courant 28 December 1982.

53. HG MS 26: Anonymous “Man from Groningen,“ “Heer-oom met de Gard en De Hoerewaarein: Twee Anecdoten uit den zelfden hoek als de Menuet en Dominees Pruik (1784)Google Scholar.

54. Leeuwarder Courant, 5 July 1784; Frisia Illustrata, p. 164; Sipma, p. 140. On theatre in towns outside of Leeuwarden, see: RL AcFr 4, 1 — 27 Sep. and 27 Dec. 1791; Brooks, ; and Leendertz, P., “Toneelgezelschappen te Harlingen” in De Vrije Fries, 1928, pp. 128–46Google Scholar.