{"id":2127,"date":"2025-01-11T09:16:15","date_gmt":"2025-01-11T08:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.histoiredebal.com\/?p=2127"},"modified":"2025-02-16T13:32:38","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T12:32:38","slug":"parson-upon-dorothy-en-3-reconstructions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.histoiredebal.com\/en\/2025\/01\/11\/parson-upon-dorothy-en-3-reconstructions\/","title":{"rendered":"Parson upon Dorothy, one dance and three reconstructions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, I tell you about a real hit of the 17th and 18th centuries: Parson Upon Dorothy<\/em>. A strange name, isn’t it? One wonders if the parson’s wife is aware of that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a short enquiry about the popularity of the music, and the origin of this title, we’ll see that this choreography inspired many dance searchers – including your servant. The reconstructions are very different: we’ll see how we arrive at very different but perfectly valid conclusions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without further ado, a word on Dorothy’s lifespan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being a French native speaker, I write in English as good as I can. Please let me know if you spot any error. thank you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An old and bucolic melody<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I announce you straight away that Parson Upon Dorothy<\/em> is the title of the dance. The aria given by the Dancing Master and John Walsh is known by many names… but they never contains “Parson” no “Dorothy”. The most common names for that melody are The beautiful sherperdess of Arcadia<\/em> and Sheperd’s Daughter<\/em>. I definitively feel a rustic vibe here.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Govaert
Govaert Flinck, A shepherdess listening to a shepherd play
the flute in an Arcadian setting, 1654.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

As was often the case at the time, the tune served as a vehicle for several songs. The earliest score of this tune dates from the 1620s, but the melody was already well known in 1607, when Francis Beaumont quoted a few lines of the lyrics in one of his plays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Numerous versions were published throughout the 17th century. Operas regularly reprised the melody until the end of the 18th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parson upon Dorothy, a surprising title<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This melody stands in the Dancing Master<\/em> from the second edition, under the unprecedented title Parson upon Dorothy<\/em>. All subsequent editions of the Dancing Master<\/em> will include that dance, a real hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Walsh, Playford’s successor (and plagiarist), also uses that title in his Complete Country Dancing-Master<\/em> (between 1718 and 1760).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But why is the title of the dance so different from the other known titles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christian Graham, dance historian, tried to answer that question in his book The Playford Assembly. 125 Early English Country Dances, 1651 \u2013 c.1820<\/a><\/em>. If you teach historical English country dance, I highly recommend you that book. It contains 125 dances, with melodies, intructions and historical comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Graham doesn’t believe in the salacious explanation of a love story between Dorothy and the parson. He thinks that “Dorothy” may have been the sheperdess’s name in the oral tradition, lost nowadays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exact melody used in the Dancing Master would be a variation created by Martin Peerson (c.1570 – c.1651), madrigalist, singer and keyboardist. Peerson died shortly before the publication of the Dancing Master<\/em>, so the title Parson (Peerson) upon Dorothy<\/em> is a tribute to him. The same explanation applies to Parson’s Farewell, another well-known dance from Dancing Master.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
John Greenhill, A noblewoman as a sheperdess<\/em>, vers 1665.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Parson upon Dorothy, the first version of the dance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you read correctly, “first version”. The Dancing Master<\/em> (DM) has a version of Parson upon Dorothy<\/em> in all its edition, except the very first (1651) and the 10th (1698).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until 1696, the DM has a first version: a 4-couples longways. Between 1701 and 1716, the DM has a second one, a longways for as many as will<\/a>. Finally, the last two edition host a third version, close to the second one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Walsh, in his Compleat Country Dancing Master<\/em> (1718 \u2013 1760), copies the second version from DM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text for version 1 (1652 \u2013 1657 \u2013 1665)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Longways for eight

Lead up forwards and back .| That again : |
First two men and last two men hands, and lead to each wall, we doing the same, change hands and meet all . |
First and 3. Men lead up, the other leading down, change hands and lead the Co. way : |
Turn each others We .| Turn your own : |<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Instructions
Parson upon Dorothy<\/em>, in John Playford, The Dancing Master<\/em>, 1652.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The reconstructions for Parson upon Dorothy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That short text poses three major issues of the reconstruction of the dance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n