Goddess

Date: 17th century (first published in The English Dancing Master, 1651)

Description:
Goddess is an elegant English country dance, originally set to a stately triple-time melody. Its graceful structure made it popular in courtly settings and amongst the gentry. The dance involves turns, set-and-honour figures, and changes of place.

Discussion:
The tune has a dignified character with flowing phrases and a lilting rhythm. It provides a good introduction to dances in triple metre and is suitable for intermediate dancers due to its more refined style.

Composer: Traditional (published by John Playford)

Arranged by: [Insert arranger’s name if applicable]

Sheet Music:
Available via CPDL, IMSLP, and in early music collections that feature Renaissance dance music.
The arrangement we use is available here as a  pdf or musescore file.

Parts: Melody with optional harmony and bass line

Type: English country dance

Language: Instrumental

Ranges:
Typical range C4–D5 for melody instruments

Advice for beginners:
Pay attention to the feel of the triple metre—let the phrasing lead your dynamics. Keep the tempo steady and elegant. Suitable for players developing bow or breath control in compound time.

Sound Files:
Here are some sound files for reference. All parts, alto, tenor, tenor 2, harp,

• Dance