A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Chaconne

CHACONNE (Ital. Ciaccona), an obsolete dance, probably of Spanish origin. At any rate the name is Spanish, chacona, from the Basque chocuna, 'pretty' (Littré). The chaconne was a dance usually in 3-4 time, of a moderately slow movement, which belonged to the class of variations, being, in fact, in the large majority of cases, actually a series of variations on a 'ground bass,' mostly eight bars in length. It closely resembles the Passacaglia, the only differences being that the tempo of the latter is somewhat slower, and that it begins upon the third beat of the bar, whereas the chaconne commences upon the first. Among the most celebrated examples are that in Bach's fourth sonata for violin solo, and the two (one with 21 the other with 62 variations) in Handel's 'Suites de Pièces.' As a modern example of the chaconne (though not so entitled) may be instanced Beethoven's 'thirty-two variations in C minor on an original theme.' Gluck has also used this form, with some modifications, in the ballet music of his 'Iphigénie en Aulide.' In Couperin's 'Pieces pour le Clavecin,' edited by Brahms, is a chaconne in 3-4 time.

[ E. P. ]