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In dance patterns: German W means waltz, 3 beats. German D means Dreher, 2 beats, we instead use P for Pivot. Confusion happens; a minority of Zwiefachers can include a Polka step, 4 beats. Germans use P for Polka. Pick your owm justification for other letters in English!
These are the documented
result of a few decades of fun finding recordings and figuring out patterns.
Some of the patterns are obscure enough that you will need to listen to the music
to understand the written patterns.
Many of the recordings are out of print. Fortunately people still write new
Zwiefacher tunes and record others found in music libraries. It is popular
in Bavaria and other Alpine areas in Austria and Germany. It is so popular
that no attempt is being made to keep this list up to date.
Your choice of Zwiefacher recordings grows. Search YouTube to see.
Tune and dance names
The tables contain two versions of tune names, the name used by this author and the name
printed on the recording. The centuries of Zwiefacher diffusion throughout the rural Alps,
while the German language evolved, result in:
Identical, or very similar, tunes having multiple names.
Completely different tunes having the same, or very similar, names.
Music having a different name than the assocated song, or songs.
Dances named with the first words of the song, without agreement on which is the 1st verse.
Identical names in different dialects appearing in different places on alphabetical lists.
Similar tunes having different dance patterns, maybe just a differing number of repeats, maybe an extra musical part.
All this is normal evolution for documenting a folk style, older than either today's German language or modern musical notation.
From the author's location, in the Northwest corner of the United States, it is very difficult
to figure out any "best" name. So consider selected names arbitrary.
It is, if possible, one familiar to Zwiefacher fans in North America.
Searching for "Zwiefacher"?
Also consider "Bairischer" or these rarer German dialect terms: "Altfränkische Tänze", "Dablecker", "Grad und Ungrad", "Heuberger", "Mischlich", "Mittelfränkische", "Neu-Bayerischer", "Schleifer", "Schweinauer", "Tratzerter" and "Übernfuaß". The German root word, "Zwiefach" is useful for searches.
The dance list called "Oberabtänze" includes many Zwiefacher tunes, plus the Polka and Mazurka. It was dances banned by religious authorities in maybe 1663. The ban result: 300 years of popularity!
A pair of YouTube videos
Updated May 16, 2020 - Copyright 2017 by Patrick McMonagle
This page exists to promote awarness of the Zwiefacher dance and to promote awareness of the websites
www.folkdancing.com.
You are free to copy, reproduce, publish and distribute this page as long as you include this copyright
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