Contents:

What are Zwiefache

Dance Style/Flow

Spelling and Pronounciation

Noun Endings

Names of some Zwiefache

Sources of More Information

Zwiefache Recordings and Sheet Music

Musicians

Links

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Zwiefache

Zwiefache are tunes/dances that change time signatures between 2/4 and 3/4 for a given number of measures. Each Zwiefache has it's own formula. A simple one is Die Alte Kath which alternates 2 measures waltz and 2 measures pivots. In the sheet music this is 3/4 time for 2 measures and 2/4 time for 2 measures. Many have more complex patterns. They are often accompanied by words (see list below for online lyrics) which help to show where the changes are located. They are fun to dance once you get the hang of it and usually very interesting musically.

The best way to learn these dances is to listen to the music, to hear the changing meter. Often a 'key' is made available to dancers saying WWDD or WWPP (for the example above) meaning "two waltzes then two dreher or pivots." This is best used as an aid to hearing it in the music rather than as a series of steps to dance.

Zwiefache are a very old form of music. They are documented back to the middle of the 16th century. The evidence is musical only, and it is not known whether they were actually danced at that time.

Zwiefache sheet music written in the traditional way (traditionellen Zwiefachennotierung) is not played the same as modern sheet music. What I mean by this is that traditional Zwiefache sheet music the 3/4 time measures the quarter note is played like a quarternote, and in 1/4, 2/4, or 4/4 time measures, the 1/8 note is played as long as a quarternote. If you have Zwiefache sheet music, check it out before you play it.

Dance Style/Flow

Another common misconception is about the flow of this dance. It is actually a stationary dance, with the best dancers in Germany boasting that they can dance in a small area. Many people ask me where I know this from. There are multiple sources, I have included two here for the skeptical. One was a folkdance teacher from Germany who taught at a workshop I attended, and that was how he illustrated the dance,
and another is a passage from a book about dances that says:

"Ubrigens: Schlechte Zwiefachen-Tänzer erkennt man daran, daß sie wie der Blitz über die Tanzfläche rasen und hin- und herschwanken; gute daran, daß sie ruhig fast auf der Stelle tanzen."

which translates approximately to

"BTW: One can recognize poor Zwiefache dancers by the way they race like lightning over the dance floor and totter here and there; the good ones are those that dance quietly almost in one place."

- Tanz rüber, tanz nüber, Kurt Becher, Bayerischen Landesverein für Heimatpflege e.V.

Spelling and Pronounciation

Now that you know what the dance is, do you know how to spell and pronounce it? The pronunciation and spelling of this dance is often in error. It is correctly spelled zwiefacher (or zwiefache or zwiefachen based on case), and pronounced "zwee-facher" not "zwii-facher". The prefix "zwie" has the implication of duality, one entity with two aspects, rather than "zwei" which means the number two and implies two separate entities.

Noun Endings

As to which ending to use ( Zwiefacher or Zwiefache or Zwiefachen), here are some guidelines (thanks to Peter Renzland):

Zwiefacher is used only if it is indefinite singular (i.e. followed by "ein" (="a"),

• Der naechste Tanz ist ein Zwiefacher.
  (singular, 1st case, indefinite)
  (always *(k)ein* before Zwiefacher, which can be elided, as in the heading of a page containing a Z. in a book of various dances/tunes.)

Zwiefache is used for indefinite plural case (many tunes) or definite singular nominative (a specific tune).

• Ich tanze am liebsten Zwiefache.
  (plural, 4th case, indefinite)
• Der Zwiefache ist ein deutscher Tanz.
  (singular, 1st case, definite)
• Zwiefache sind taktwechselnde Taenze.
  (plural, 1st case, indefinite)
  (A book or collection containing only Z. would be headed "Zwiefache".)

Zwiefachen is for when the dance is not in the nominative case (not the subject, not doing the action).

• Jetzt tanzen wir einen Zwiefachen.
  (singular, 4th case, indefinite)
• Ich tanze am liebsten die Zwiefachen.
  (plural, 4th case, definite)

Note: The endings to "Schottische" have exactly the same form as "Zwiefache"; all the same rules apply to both.

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Some of the Zwiefache in my collection

(There are **many** more Zwefache in my collection and in existance that are not listed here)

's Bachmühlerl

Bauernschuster - Girgl

's blaue Hendl

Boarischer Bauer (a.k.a. Bayrische Bauer and Maderl)

Bömischer Wind

's Dirndl im Wald

Eichelober

Eisenkeil (a.k.a. Eisenkeilnest) (MIDI and lyrics from Mario Herger and lyrics from ingeb.org)

's Erdäpfelfeld

Der Finker

Göckerla wennst net krahst

Hab' i an Schatz an neia

Habervogl

Hansmelcherla

Hans Sachs

Heubodn

Hinta meim Vodan sein Stodl

Da Hopfazupfa

Juchhe, frisch auf!

Leutl müasst's lusti sein (a.k.a. Leit, Leit) (lyrics from ingeb.org)

`s Luada (MIDI from Mario Herger)

Lila Blaßblau

Lochgang

Meiner muss sei

Nagelschmied

Neun Dörfer (MIDI and lyrics from ingeb.org)

Nudeli

Der net, den andern

Oachl Ober

s' oanzige Hendl

Oba d' Ochsn mog i net hüatn

Peter Girgl

Saulocker (MIDI from Mario Herger)

Schaufestui/Schaufelstiel

Schellen - Neuner

Schneida

Schubkarrn

Schweinauer

Sechs Löffel

Sechsunddreißiger

Seidas Füata

Sommermichel

Spalter, Die Fuchsteifelswilden

Suserl

Stadtkirch'n

Stalltürl

Stieglitz, Stieglitz

Stodlspitz

d' Suppn

Taubnschlag (Wer 10,20,30,40 Taubn will habn)

Unser alte Kath' (a.k.a. die Alte Kathe)

Der Waldtauber

Weiss-Blau

Der weiße Has'

Wer mir und meiner Schwarz'n wos tuat

Wintergrea (a.k.a. Wintergrün)

Der Wirt vo Stoa

Wirtshaustürl

Der Zitterer

Zwei Kapellan

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Sources

Books and CDs:

I have started a list of books tapes & CDs of German folkdance instructions and music. This contains information on what books and tapes have Zwiefache in/on them. It is still in primitive form, and is not complete (i.e. I own or have seen others that I have not typed in the information yet) but it will continue to grow as I have time to add to it. Check it out, and let me know if your like it, if you are using it, and if you know of other sources. (The more use I know about, the sooner I'll have incentive to add more)

- Elisa (ebarneysmith@hotmail.com)

Bands & Musicians:

If you are a member of a band who includes Zwiefache in your repertoire, please send me a note. Likewise, I'll include your name in my list of band links and distribute this information to those looking for bands that play Zwiefache (I'm guessing the demand for bands will be greater than the supply in the USA & Canada).

- Elisa (ebarneysmith@hotmail.com)

Other pages about Zwiefache:

Roland Bauer's page on Zwiefache: Roland is a dancer from Wien. He has some general information and a 'Friends of Zwiefache' page.

René Senn's page on Zwiefache, Oberdorf. Contains MIDI and sheetmusic

Mario Herger's page on Volkstaenze: Mario has lots of information about many German and Austrian folkdances. He has MIDI files for two Zwiefache which are linked in my list above.

Birgit Wendl's page on her band's repertoire: Birgit lists the Zwiefache her band plays.