Three collections of Brunettes (mostly songs about shepherdesses with brown hair) from the press of Christophe Ballard in 1703, 1704, and 1711 show the transition from modal to tonal systems of composition in France. Ballard's pieces were assembled from popular airs serieux, airs à danser, and chansonettes from the previous century. Ballard brought them up to date by simplifying melodies, altering texts, and composing bass lines for the songs. In composing bass lines for the once monophonic chansons à danser and creating new bass lines for the rest of the polyphonic pieces, he adjusted modal organizations that had become outdated. Too this end, accidentals were changed, and cadences and their preparations were altered as well. Individual modes were turned into major or minor systems, each in its own unique way. By comparing both versions, we can see what Ballard considered to be essential modernizations. These Brunettes then served as the basis for further revisions by composers Dandrieu and Montéclair later in the century. Thus several versions of the same song can be examined over a large span of time.

Works: Anonymous: J'entends le voix de la belle Climene (191); La jeune Bergere Anette (192); Nous nirons plus aux champs Brunete (195); L'amour n'est jamais sans peines (197); Dans un Bois (200); Quand on a tant d'amour (202); O beau jardin ou l'Art et Nature (205).

Index Classifications: 1700s

Contributed by: John F. Anderies