Galliard Battaglia (403.01) (Scheidt spent most of his working life in Halle, and was not only a prolific composer of vocal and instrumental music, both liturgical and secular, but also a highly distinguished teacher. This piece is a highly characteristic example of his work and the late 16th century German instrumental style in general. Although originally derived from dance forms, by this time instrumental pieces bearing dance titles were unlikely to have been written to accompany actual dance steps. Rather they would exploit instrumental virtuosity and the desire of the composer to develop his ideas without the restriction of dancers. This, then, allowed for various imaginative devices to be employed. The galliard was normally in homophonic style but Scheidt combined it with the increasingly florid exchanges of the battle piece, much in vogue during the 16th and 17th centuries to create his Galliard Battaglia. Performance notes: Successful performance of this piece requires a disciplined rhythmic pulse, controlled dynamics and a good sense of style. Articulations and dynamics have been suggested but alternatives may be substituted at the discretion of the performers. The two choirs should sit separately if possible to highlight the canonic exchanges, as if representing the sides in the battle.)
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