ABSTRACT
In a recognizable form, the jig seems to have originated as a country dance in Britain in the sixteenth century. Reflecting probably a Continental influence, it later formed part of the keyboard suite in England, the standard core of which almand, corant and saraband emerged as a norm before the Restoration. These early jigs, including those in keyboard sources, are in both simple and compound notation. In the last quarter of the century, compound-time jigs notated with quavers as the basic rhythmic unit make their appearance in England. Indications of perceived English origins of the jig in country-dance style are suggested by titles such as Gigues angloise and Gigue Francoise in French music. Similar melodic fragments are widespread in English, French, German and Italian music and can be found in music by Blow, Eccles, Forcer, Chambonnieres, de la Barre, Hardel, Froberger, Bruhns, Bernardo Pasquini and Draghi.
