Things I've found in the Library of Congress

This list is probably not comprehensive. For a complete list see the site's author/title list.

If you want to download complete books then they're available from this directory, filed in numbered subdirectories.

The "LMC" and "FL" numbers are catalogue numbers from, respectively, Little and Marsh, La Danse Noble, Broude Brothers Ltd., 1992, and Lancelot, La Belle Dance, Van Dieren, 1996. These publications give further information about both the sources and the individual dances.

See my Information → Primary Sources links for some facsimiles from other sites.

Background

• Front
• History of Western Social Dance – You're probably interested in the baroque dance chapter.
• Video clips – Note that video clip 24 is identical to clip 25, so don't waste your time downloading them both.
• Bibliography

Manuals

• Rameau's Le Maître à danser (1748) (419 pages; first published 1725) The contents are here.  [This book is available in a modern English translation by Cyril Beaumont – available from Amazon.com.]
• Rameau's Abbregé de la nouvelle Methode (1725?) (LMC [c1728]-Ram; FL/1728.1) (first part, 142 pages).
  This includes Traité de la Cadence, and a Seconde Partie containing twelve couple-dances by Pécour in Rameau's modified notation:
  • La Bourée D'achille (Bouree – Minuet – Bouree) (see alternative version),
  • La Mariée de Rollant (duple time) (see alternative version),
  • Le passepied (see alternative version),
  • La Bourgogne (courante – bouree – sarabande – passepied) (see alternative version),
  • La Forlanne,
  • Aimable vainqueur [loure] (see Louver (English version) and solo to the same music),
  • Le Menuet d'alcide,
  • La Bachante [2, tune marked bourée in alternative source],
  • L'Allemande [I reckon this is actually a rigaudon],
  • La Bretagne (Passepied – Rigaudon) (see alternative version),
  • La nouvelle forlanne,
  • La Royalle [sarabande – bouree].
• Essex's translation of Rameau: The Dancing Master (1728) (306 pages), with the complete text.
  (See also my own HTML version derived from the LoC version.)
• Tomlinson's The Art of Dancing (LMC 1735-Tom) (first part 182 pages), with the complete text.
  (An alternative facsimile is available from Google Books, and see also my own HTML version derived from the LoC version.)
  The second part is a series of plates including a table of notated steps. The following complete dances are present:
  • A Single Dance for a young Lady (Cannary)
  • Reverences and a ballroom minuet (over several plates)
  • A ballroom minuet (on one plate)
• Feuillet's Chorégraphie (1713) (103 pages).
  The best way to access this is probably via the Online-Choreographies from the Library of Congress provided by The Calendar of Historical Dance.
• Weaver's Orchesography (2nd ed.) (LMC [c1730]-Orc; FL/1722.2) (107 pages, + 20 pages of dances).
  A translation of Feuillet (see Books of John Weaver site for a transcription and a cleaner facsimile of the first edition).
  Includes 3 dances:
  • The Rigadoone (by Isaac),
  • The Louver (or Louvre) (by Pécour) (see L'Aimable vainqueur in Rameau's notation and solo to the same music),
  • The Bretagne (Passepied – Rigaudon) (by Pécour) (see version in Rameau's notation),
• Malpied's Traité Sur l'Art de la Danse (1770?) (LMC [c1780]-Mal, FL/1781.1) – (130 pages)
  Much of this is taken from Feuillet, but it also contains additional material, such as a detailed notated menuet.
• Burette's Prima, e Seconda Memoria per Servire alla Istoria del Ballo Degli Antichi (first pub. 1736) –
  Short essay on the history of dance published in Venice. Probably innacurate as history, but might shed some light on attitudes to dance in the 1730s.
• Cahusac's La Danse Ancienne et Moderne, ou Traité Historique de la Danse (1754) – (680 pages)
  Three volume history of dance. To be treated with suspicion in those areas outside his first-hand experience, however the later chapters contain much valuable information. See also the full text.
• Gallini's A treatise on the art of dancing (1772) – (284 pages)
  A discussion of different dances (almost certainly inaccurate for those outside of his direct experience), including some advice on dancing the minuet. See also the full text.
• Bacquoy-Guédon's Méthode pour exercer l'oreille (1785?) – (80 pages)
  Includes information on the late 18th-century minuet. See also the full text.
• Giambatista Dufort's Trattato del Ballo Nobile (1728) – (183 pages)
  Italian dancing manual describing various steps, the minuet, country dances, and reverences. See also the full text.
• Gennaro Magri's Trattato Teorico-Prattico di Ballo (1779) – (316 pages)
  Italian manual describing theatrical dances, the minuet and country dances. Particularly valuable for its information about the more acrobatic style of the Italian professional dancers.  [This book is available in a modern English translation by Mary Skeaping – available from Amazon.com, but possibly cheaper from DanceBooks.]
• Pablo Minguet é Irol's Arte de Danzar a la Francesa (1737?) – (85 pages)
  A Spanish book on French dancing. Contains Explicacion del Danzar a la Francesa, which seems to describe the minuet and passepied, and is often based on sections of Rameau, and Explicacion de Danzar a la Española.
• Bonem's Tratado Dos Principaes Fundamentos da Dança (1767) – (148 pages)
  A Portuguese book on French dancing. Seems to be based on the minuet parts of Rameau. See also the full text.
• C. J. v. Feldtenstein's Erweiterung der Kunst nach der Chorographie zu tanzen (1772, originally published 1767) – (124 pages)
  German book describing the minuet, country dances, quadrilles, and various other dances. (An alternative facsimile is available from Google Books.)

Dances

Note that The Calendar of Historical Dance provides a very useful alternative interface to Feuillet's collections of 1700/09, 1703, 1704, and his collection of country dances from 1706.

• Feuillet's annual collection for 1703 (LMC 1702-Rcl; FL/1702.1). Includes
  • Les Contrefaiseurs/Contredanse (duple, contains rigaudon steps),
  • La Paysanne (duple, contains rigaudon steps).
• Feuillet's 1704 collection of dances by Pécour (LMC 1704-Péc; FL/1704.1). (An alternative facsimile is available from Google Books.)
  Includes Traité de la Cadance, as well as six female solos:
  • Sarabande pour une femme,
  • Entrée pour une femme (Forlane) Dancée par Mlle. Victoire au Ballet du Carnaval de Venise (see also A Jigg by Mr. Pecour),
  • Chacone pour une femme (Chacone de Phaeton),
  • Passacaille pour une femme Dancée par Mlle. Subligny à l'Opera de Scilla,
  • Entrée Espagnolle pour une femme (6/4) [loure] Dancée par Mlle. Subligny au Ballet de l'Europe galante,
  • Gigue pour une femme Dancée par Mlle. Subligny en Angleterre (music recording available from Thomas Berghan's site),
  twenty-one duets:
  • Menuet à deux Pour une homme et une femme Dancé par Mr. du Moulin l'Aîne et Mlle. Victoire au Ballet des Fragmens de Mr. de Lully,
  • Entrée pour deux femmes (Forlane) Dancée par Mlle. Victoire et Mlle. Dangeville au Ballet des Fragments de Mr. de Lully,
  • Entrée Pour un homme et une femme (Menuet Rondeau) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny a l'Opera d'Omphalle,
  • Entrée Pour un homme et une femme (3, aimons tout nous y convie) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny a l'Opéra de Thézée,
  • Entrée pour un homme et une femme (3, Joüissons des plaisirs) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny au Ballet des Fragments de Mr. de Lully,
  • Entrée Espagnolle pour un homme et une femme (3) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny au Ballet de l'Europe galante,
  • Passacaille pour un homme et une femme (Passacaille de Persée) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny a l'Opera de Persée,
  • Entrée pour un homme et une femme (3/8) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny a l'Opera de Persée,
  • 2e. Entrée de Percée (Bourée) Dancée par les mêmes,
  • Entrée a deux (Gigue Lent) Dancée par Mr. Dumirail et Mlle. Victoire à l'Opera d'Hesionne,
  • autre Entrée à deux (2, Rondeau) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny à l'Opera d'Hesionne,
  • Entrée à deux (2, Rondeau) Dancée par Mr. Balon et Mlle. Subligny. à l'Opera d'Aretuse,
  • Sarabande à deux Dancée par Mr. Blonde et Mlle. Victoire à l'Opera de Tancrede,
  • Contre-dance à deux (mouvement de Gigue, 3/8 [6/8]) Dancée par Mr. Dumirail et Mlle. Victoire à l'Opera de Tancrede,
  • Entrée pour un Berger et une Bergere (3, Rondeau) Dancée par Mr. Dumoulin l'aîné et Mlle. Danjeville à l'Opera d'Vllisse,
  • 2e. Entrée (Bourée) Dancée par les mêmes,
  • Entrée pour deux hommes (gravement) [gavotte gravement] Dancée par Mr. l'Evêque et Mr. Danjeville l'aîne à l'Opera de Cadmus,
  • Sarabande pour deux hommes (gravement) Dancée par Mr. Piffetot et Mr. Chevrier à l'Opera d'Alside,
  • Canary pour deux hommes Dancée par Mr. Piffetot et Mr. Chevrier à l'Opera d'Didon,
  • Entrée pour deux hommes (6/4, Entrée Espagnolle, gravement) [loure] Dancée par Mr. Piffetau et Mr. Cherrier au Ballet de l'Europe galante,
  • Loure pour deux hommes Dancée par Mr. Blondy et Mr. Philbois à l'Opera de Scilla,
  and eight male solos:
  • Chaconne pour un homme non dancée a l'Opera,
  • Chaconne de Phaeton pour un homme non dancée a l'Opera,
  • Entrée d'Appolon pour un homme non dancée à l'Opera [marked gravement in the tunes] [see also 1709 dance to the same tune],
  • L'Aimable Vainqueur (Loure) Entrée non dancée à l'Opera [for partner dance to the same music see Louver (English version) or version in Rameau's notation],
  • Sarabande pour un homme non dancée a l'Opera,
  • Entrée pour un homme (2) non dancée a l'Opera,
  • Folies d'Espagne pour un homme,
  • Sarabande pour un homme non dancée a l'Opera.
  The tunes are also included in independently numbered pages at the end.
• Feuillet's 1709 collection of his own choreographies (LMC 1709-Feu, FL/1700.1) (earlier version appeared in 1700).
  • Rigaudon de la Paix (Rigaudon – 2e.Rigaudon),
  • Gigue a deux (Gigue de Roland),
  • Entrée a deux (Rigaudon),
  • Autre Entrée a deux (Rigaudon),
  • Sarabande pour femme,
  • Sarabande pour homme,
  • Sarabande Espagnole pour homme [loure],
  • Folie d'Espagne pour femme,
  • Canarie à deux,
  • Gigue pour homme,
  • Entrée pour homme (¢),
  • Autre Entrée pour homme,
  • Entrée grave pour homme,
  • Entrée d'Apolon (See also, 1704 dance to the same tune),
  • Balet de neuf Danseurs (entre grave – Canary – second canary).
• Feuillet's 1709 collection of choreographies by Pécour (LMC 1709-Péc, FL/1700.2) (earlier version appeared in 1700).
  • Bourée d'Achille (Bourée – Minuet – Bourée) (see version in Rameau's notation),
  • La Mariée (2) (see version in Rameau's notation),
  • Le Passepied (Passepied – 2e.Passepied) (see version in Rameau's notation),
  • La Contredance (Gigue),
  • Le Rigaudon des Vaisseaux (Rigaudon – 2e.Rigaudon),
  • La Bourgogne (Courante – Bourée – Sarabande – Passepied) (see version in Rameau's notation),
  • La Savoye (Bourée),
  • Le Forlana,
  • La Conty (Venitienne).
• A Collection of Ball-Dances perform'd at Court by Isaac, notated by Weaver (LMC 1706-Isa). (An alternative facsimile is available from Google Books.)
  Includes:
  • The Rigadoone,
  • The Rondeau (3 slow – ¢ – 3 – ¢ – 3 – 3 [Minuet]),
  • The Richmond (Hornpipe),
  • The Favourite (Chaconne – Boree),
  • The Spanheim (6/4?),
  • The Britannia (3 – Bouree – Minuet).
• The following individually published dances by Isaac:
  • The Royal Portuguez (LMC [1709]-Ryp) (6/4 Slow [Loure] – Brisk Minuet time),
  • The Royall Gailliarde (LMC [1710]-Ryg) (2 – Bouree – Sarabande – Canary),
  • The Princess (LMC [c1710]-Prn) (3 – 6/4) [3rd Couplet missing],
  • The Rigadoon Royal (LMC [1711]-Rig) (2 – 2),
  • The Royall (1712?) (LMC [c1711]-Roy) (3 – Hornpipe),
  • The Royal Ann (LMC [1712]-Rya) (3),
  • The Pastorall (LMC [1713]-Pst) (6/4 Grave [Loure] – Hornpipe),
  • The Northumberland (1713?) (LMC [c1711]-Nrt) (6/4 [Courante] – [6/4 Gigue] – [3] – ¢),
  • The Godolphin (LMC [1714]-Gdl) (2 Grave [2 step-units per bar]),
  • The Friendship (LMC [1715]-Frn) (2),
• Pemberton's An essay for the further improvement of dancing (LMC 1711-Pem, FL/1711.1). A collection of choreographies for groups of women. (An alternative facsimile is available from Google Books.)
  Includes:
  • An Ecchoe by Mr. Groscort (Boree (with steps) – Minuet for 3),
  • Minuet by Mr. Holt (Minuet for 4),
  • By Mr. Caverly (Minuet for 5),
  • By Mr. Shirley (Minuet for 6),
  • By Mr. Prince (for 8),
  • By Mr. Couch (for 9),
  • Jigg By Mr. Hickford (for 10),
  • Minuet By Mr. Preist (Minuet for 12).
  With some female solos included as a sort of appendix:
  • A Chacone by Mr. Isaac (Chacone – Minuet),
  • A Passacaille by Mr. L'Abbee,
  • A Jigg by Mr. Pecour (Forlana) (see also 1704 version).

Country Dance

• The Dancing-Master 10th edition (1698)
• The Dancing-Master Vol 2, 4th edition (1728)
• Feuillet's Recüeil de Contredances (1706) – Contains a description of the notation, and thirty-two country dances.
  For a complete list of contents, see the Online-Choreographies from the Library of Congress provided by The Calendar of Historical Dance.
• Essex's For the further improvement of Dancing – A translation of Feuillet's Recüeil de Contredances, containing country dances.
• [Les Plaisirs d'Arquebuse etcetera] – A collection of late 18th-century dances by various choreographers.
• Le Répertoire des Bals (1762) – Collection by La Cuisse.
• Receuile DAnglaise – By Landrin.
• Potpourri françois – By Landrin.
• The Scholars Companion (late 18th C. America) – By M. J. C. Fraisier. Mainly country-dances, a few cotillions, and no music.

For other facsimiles and transcriptions of Playford see the Arts : Performing Arts : Dance : Folk : English Country Dancing : Playford category in either ODP or Google.