A typical classical suite usually contains four basic dance pieces: the first is a slow allemande in four beats, the second is a fast three-beat courant, and the third is a slow dance. A sarabande in triple time, and the fourth is a jig in fast triple time or double time.

This forms two teams of slow and fast dance music, which contrast in speed, rhythm and style, but the tonality is unified.

Among the four dance songs, Sarabande is the slowest one and Giger is the fastest. Between the last two dances, one or several medium-speed or fast dances are often inserted, such as three-beat minuet, pasbière, or two-beat gavotte, boulevard, etc.

Extended information

Classical suite, as the name of a music genre, was first seen in 1557, but its structural form has been changing for a long time. Its typical form is recognized as being finalized by the Saxon keyboard composer J.J. Froberg.

The popular suite form in 1650 often consisted of three dances: Allemande, Courante and Sarabande, and Froberger also composed many suites based on this. Later, Giger inserted the suite, sometimes before Coulant, sometimes after. After Froberg's death, in 1693, his suites were published, and the order of his dances was recognized as a model for the classical suite style.

Classical suites are arranged in the order of Allemande-Courant-Sarabande-Giger, sometimes topped with preludes and inserted pieces such as Bray, Gavotte, and Minuet. , and sometimes even insert feature songs and title songs. Each movement uses the same key and is written in two sections, with each section repeated once.

Many famous composers at that time, such as the British H. Purcell, the French F. Couperin, the Italian A. Corelli, the German J.S. Bach and G.F. Handel, etc., all composed He composed many suites, among which Bach's "English Suite" and "French Suite" are the most famous.