s in such forms into larger
groups. These compositions--known in France as Ordres, in Germany as
Suites and Partitas and in England as Lessons--though all the
movements were in the _same key_, yet showed considerable variety by
reason of the contrast in the dance rhythms. They were, moreover,
simple, direct and easily understood of the people.[70] This
development was furthered by the perfecting of two groups of
instruments: The violins, by the great Italian masters; and those
precursors of our modern pianoforte, the harpsichord, clavichord and
spinet. We find, consequently, the Italians--of whom Corelli was most
prominent--combining these dances into groups called Sonate da Ballo:
and the French composers Couperin and Rameau, developing the
possibilities of keyed stringed instruments in graceful pieces to
which fantastic titles, such as _La Poule_, _Le Rappel des Oiseaux_,
etc., were often given. The greatest master of instrumental style in
these early days was the Italian, Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). He
was famous both as composer and performer--the first, in fact, of the
long line of key-board virtuosi--and in his compositions in dance form
and in those of a more abstract type there is a sparkling fancy and an
adjustment of the thought to his instrument, which will keep them
forever immortal.[71]

[Footnote 70: For an interesting and comprehensive account of this
development see Grove's Dictionary, Volume IV, article on the Suite.]

[Footnote 71: For extensive comments on Scarlatti's style see _The
History of the Pianoforte and Pianoforte Players_ by Oscar Bie, pp.
68-90.]

The grouping together of dance forms reached its highest development
through the genius of Sebastian Bach in the so-called _French and
English Suites_.[72] In these compositions--in the Partitas and in the
orchestral Suite in D major, which contains the well-known Aria, often
played in transcription for Violin solo--the dance-forms are not
employed literally but are made a vehicle for the expression of varied
types of human emotion and sentiment. Nor should we overlook the
twelve _Harpsichord Lessons_ of Handel--especially the superb Fugue in
E minor in the Fourth Suite--which are noteworthy for their vigor,
though, in freshness and delicacy of invention, not to be compared
with Bach's.

[Footnote 72: These titles, according to Parry (see his life of Bach,
Chapters IV and XII passim), were not given by Bach himself but were
assigned, in