All of Bach's twelve suites end with gay and vigorous gigues, the most rollicking of all the dances used. This is natural enough, in view of the desirability of closing the suite with an impression of energetic vitality. These gigues are in the headlong 6-8 or 12-8 meter; they are polyphonic in texture, and constructed in the binary form. Often-times a high degree of contrapuntal skill is shown in their composition, but usually this does not interfere with their light and almost careless character. A curious feature of most of them is that in the second half the motive is inverted or turned upside down.
EXAMPLE FOR ANALYSIS, No. 7.
Bach: Gigue, from French Suite IV in E-Flat.
Theme of Gigue, Bach's French Suite IV, and its Inversion.
![[PNG]](#5102994518728001825_pag71_score1.png.id-3186972772164454576.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Inversion of theme, beginning of second half.
![[PNG]](#5102994518728001825_pag71_score2.png.id-1614708774386656675.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
FIGURE XXI.