Danced history

In the midst of the Corona pandemic, a compendium of four small-format books found its way into the Research Institute for Music Theatre in Thurnau. It comes from the extensive library of the Counts Giech, who held court in the Thurnau manor until the 19th century. Together with her colleague Dr Andrea Zedler, musicologist Dr Silvia Bier first described the find in an article in the regional press. But the handwritten collection did not let Silvia Bier go and so extensive research began. It concerns so-called contra dances, which were recorded in one of the volumes with graphically recorded dance figures, while in the other three volumes the corresponding music for two violins and bass was notated. Contratances, also called anglaises or cotillons, were a very popular type of social dance in the 18th century, danced in groups. As part of aristocratic social life, they were also formalised get-to-know-you games, since in the course of a dance one also created a moment of comparatively informal contact: a kind of speed dating in feudal society.

Who wrote the books cannot be definitively determined. However, the linguistic style with a clearly Franconian dialectal touch and the quality of the notation suggest that it was a member of the Thurnau court. The music, in turn, points to the 2nd half of the 18th century, and thus to the reign of Count Christian Friedrich Carl von Giech (1729-1797), perhaps the most enigmatic ruler of Thurnau, who cultivated art, music and an extravagant lifestyle at the small court between Bayreuth and Bamberg.

In the winter semester 2021/22, the dance booklet was the subject of a seminar on historical dance, in which the students also practically explored the source and reconstructed the dances. But the conventions of historical dance culture, manners and movement aesthetics of 18th century social 'performance' were also the subject of the seminar. In this way, the idea was finally born to vividly present the find and its history to the public: a ball at the presumed original venue, the Hall of Ancestors at Thurnau Castle. As a cultural practice, contra dances have been part of the social life of the aristocracy and courtly culture, which is foreign to us today. Nevertheless, they are also a social practice that can still be effective in the present: dancing together with familiar and unfamiliar people alike sets in motion a non-verbal communication that is immediately accessible, even if we no longer know it in this form from everyday life. In this way, the guests at the ball were able to explore a piece of cultural history that was given a regional reference through Giech's dance booklet and did not just appear in an abstract past.

Reconstructed dances from the Tanzbüchlein were danced, but also French and English contra dances that were common throughout Europe in the 18th century. The students complemented the evening's programme with arias and songs, a sociable game for a pineapple - a luxury item in the 18th century - and a brilliant end to the evening at the castle pond with fireworks.

The ball was flanked by a small exhibition in the foyer, which displayed the volumes of the dance booklet in a glass case and explained the history and research of the find.

For Silvia Bier, the ball was just the beginning: in the background is the concept of her post-doc project on music and festival culture on small and very small farms like the one in Thurnau. For her, the idea of how to communicate research and its results to society and create a viable bridge between science and the public always resonates.

The event was supported by the University Association, the Student Union of Upper Franconia, the district of Kulmbach, Schaulust e.V. and the Research Institute for Music Theatre. The ball was made possible by the tireless commitment of the students.