suite

one of the principal cyclic forms of instrumental music. A suite consists of several independent, usually contrasting movements united by a common artistic intent. The movements of a suite, in comparison with those of a sonata or symphony, are more independent, and their relation to one another is not so strictly prescribed; they also have a more direct association with songs and dances and with visual expressiveness.

The prototype of the suite was the contrasting juxtaposition of a slow dance (pavane) and a fast dance (galliard), which had become common as early as the 16th century. The classical type of dance suite took form in the works of J. J. Froberger in the mid-17th century; it consisted of four dances—the moderately fast allemande, the fast courante, the slow saraband, and the energetic jig. In addition to these, suites in the 17th and 18th centuries included the minuet, gavotte, bourne, passepied, and polonaise, nondance pieces such as the prelude, overture, aria, and rondo, and doubles, variations on one of the dances. All of the movements were usually written in the same key and were intended for the lute, harpsichord, orchestra, or other instrument or ensemble. The term “suite” was first used by French composers for the lute in the late 17th century. At this time, several different terms were used for a group of dances: in England, “lessons” (H. Purcell), in Italy, balletto or later sonata da camera (A. Corelli), in Germany, Partie (J. Kuhnau) or Partita (J. S. Bach), and in France, ordre (F. Couperin). Bach and F. Handel created sublime examples of the classical suite. In the second half of the 18th century, during the age of Viennese classicism, the suite yielded its position of importance to the sonata and symphony but continued to exist in the form of cassations, serenades, and divertimenti (Mozart).

In the 19th and 20th centuries, suites have been primarily non-dance forms for orchestra, sometimes including individual movements in dance rhythms (F. Lachner and Tchaikovsky). Such suites are frequently program pieces, for example, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherezade. They are often composed from music for theatrical productions, operas, ballets (Grieg’s Peer Gynt and Tchaikovsky’s and Prokofiev’s ballet suites), and films. Some suites have also been linked with folk dance traditions (Dvořák and Bartók). The vocal suite and choral suite are special variants.

The term “suite” also designates a musical and choreographic composition consisting of several dances.