- Era: mid-1500s
Branle de la Guerre, the "branle of war," is another of the miscellaneous branles couppez (cut branles) described by Thoinot Arbeau in his 1589 dance manual, Orchésographie (available in an English translation by Mary Stewart Evans as Orchesography). Other branles couppez include the suite of branles de Champagne couppez discussed here and branle de Charlotte, here. Branles couppez are characterized by a mix of steps, kicks, and jumps derived from the opening set of branles, with the occasional insertion of "mesures diverses" which do not follow the regular rhythms of the opening set.
Julia Sutton, in her extensive notes on the Evans translation, suggests that this was most likely a miming dance of some kind, though Arbeau's presentation of the branle without any commentary or even a hint of any body motions or miming makes me consider this unlikely. The tempo changes of the steps are enough to make it interesting even to modern dancers.
This branle is often taught as being divided into "peace" (the slow opening section) and "war" (the faster second section). There is no textual justification for this; Arbeau makes no comment about this branle at all other than including it in his list of branles couppez. Also note that while the branles Guerre, Aridan, and Charlotte are often added to the Champagne suite in the order in which they appear in Orchésographie (Charlotte-Guerre-Aridan), Arbeau does not actually describe them as part of that suite, merely as some of the "infinity of others" in the subtype of branles couppez.






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