Muse Dance: Original Belly Dance Music
Small Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

Small Ensemble Violin Solo - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.784972

Composed by Dorothy van Joolen Barth. Folk,Multicultural,Spiritual,Wedding,World. 6 pages. Dorothy van Joolen Barth #46337. Published by Dorothy van Joolen Barth (A0.784972).

New music for an ancient dance! These four original belly dance tunes are from a larger anthology by Dorothy van Joolen Barth entitled Songs from Euterpe: Solos for Meditation, Ritual, or Sacred Dance. Specifically, they are from the section of the anthology entitled Muses' Circle. These are solo instrumental dance songs. These four Muse songs can be adapted for use in belly dance by playing with an improvising drummer and/or finger cymbals. The dance tunes can be played on violin, flute, recorder, or any C instrument. Three of the tunes incorporate Middle Eastern modes (without quarter tones): (1) Melpomene is a sword dance with taxim/chifte telli sections; (2) Polyhymnia is a lyrical veil dance. The audio sample included here is of Polyhymnia, played on violin. (Note the switching between octaves on the audio sample. Though not written in, this is a convention to add interest and variety to dance music.); (3) Terpsichore incorporates 2/4, beledi, and 9/8 karsilama rhythms; and (4) Thalia is in 2/4; it does not use a Middle Eastern mode but rather a gapped A minor scale. The four titles above are offered together since they may be of special interest to dancers and those who enjoy playing Middle Eastern style music for dancers. About the Composer: Dorothy van Joolen Barth is a classical violinist and recorder player. Born in Amsterdam, she now resides and performs in California. She has arranged six volumes of Celtic traditional music for two instruments and has composed three volumes of original music. She was involved with Middle Eastern dance study and performance for several decades, which inspired her to compose this original dance music. Sufficient interest by dancers and musicians in these original compositions will encourage her to create more!