“Lord Howe’s Favorite Horn Pipe, Danced at the Theatre ROYAL, Drury Lane, On The Commemoration of the 1st June, 1794," is pianoforte arrangement of a hornpipe dance in rondo form. Hornpipe dances originated with sailors in Britain and Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. The hornpipe’s music is in 4/4 time, and the dance is performed with hard shoes similar to modern day Irish step dancing shoes. It has intricate steps and movements that were described as “sailor like.” This dance was apparently made famous by Maria Del Caro, who was a well-known dancer during the 18th century and was the first to wear ballet shoes designed specifically for dancing.
This piece is written in F major, with some chromaticism throughout the piece. It has a modulation to the dominant key of C major, but makes its way back to tonic by the end of the piece. This piece has a light texture and sound, using moving eighth notes and arpeggiations. The left hand keeps the tonal center stable, even as the right hand is climbing up and down scales. The middle section contains more chromaticism than the beginning and the end, creating a tonally unstable central section.
Title page of J.L. Dussek artifact from the Freedman Collection