“The icy evening wave barely makes noise under the oars of the gondola and repeats the sounds of the barcarolle” - these lines are heard in the poem “Venice” by Lermontov. But what is barcarolle? Not everyone knows about this, although they have probably heard beautiful, smooth melodies, as if swaying on the waves. One of bright examples is the old Neapolitan song "Santa Lucia", loved by many.
Origin of the word
This genre was born in the most romantic city of Italy - Venice. "Barka" is translated as "boat". The verb "rollar" in Italian means "to rock, to sway." Thus, barcarolle is a “rocking boat” literally translated. Another name for the genre is “song on the water”, “gondolier” (from the Venetian “gondolier” - boatman).
History of origin
Venice is a unique city built on 118 islands in the Adriatic Sea. There are practically no roads or streets that are familiar to us. Leaving the door of the house, you find yourself on the shore, and get to the right place only possible by water. Numerous canals cut the city lengthwise and crosswise. Long rowing barges - gondolas - glide along them. They have been managed by professional boatmen - gondoliers - since the emergence of Venice.
While carrying passengers, rowers traditionally sang melodic, measured songs. Thus, barcarolle is folk genre, the ancestors of which were the Venetian gondoliers. Their singing could have words. The plot of the barcarolles described the everyday life and aspirations of a simple boatman. Sometimes the performer simply sang the vowels beautifully. The slow, smooth melody imitated the rhythm of the waves rocking the boat. The voice carried over a long distance. For gondoliers gifted with singing abilities, this became additional income.
Characteristics
Venice has been famous since the 17th century opera houses and great voices. During the season, not only art connoisseurs, but also great composers came here. Many of them were fascinated by the local color and the romantic serenades of the gondoliers. Since the 18th century, barcarolles begin to appear in musical dictionaries. A definition of this genre is being formed.
The meaning of the word "barcarolle" has remained unchanged since then. This is a song performed in a non-standard time signature - 6/8. This rhythm is reminiscent of rhythmically rolling waves, the blows of oars on the water. The character of the music is minor and lyrical. The songs contain notes of dreaminess and light sadness.
Starting from the 18th century, in addition to folk barcarolles, professional ones began to appear. Many composers have tried themselves in this genre. Sometimes they neglected some characteristic features. This is how barcarolles using the major mode appeared. There is also a violation of size. It can be 12/8, 3/4, etc.
Professional barcarolles
The heyday of the form was observed in the era of romanticism with its interest in folk, original color. At this time, vocal and instrumental barcarolles were created. The first include works by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Schubert ("The Fisherman's Luck of Love", "Barcarolle"). Russian composer Glinka also tried his hand at this genre. This is how the work “The Blues Fell Asleep” was created, the poems for which were written by N. Kukolnik. Brahms and Schubert have gondoliers for choirs.
What is an instrumental barcarolle? This is a very gentle and romantic melody, as if rocking us on smooth waves, sometimes giving way to swell. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Bartok, and Fauré worked in this genre. Among the Russian composers, piano barcarolles were composed by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and Lyadov. Particularly inspired was Chopin's work, which was close to Krasiński's poem "Dawn". In Barcarolle op. 60 of the great composer, one can hear kisses, passionate confessions, the whispers of lovers against the backdrop of nature and the splash of water.
Professional barcarolles also contain genuine folk music. The melodies of gondoliers were published by the Italian composer Poruchini. These motives formed the basis of Beethoven's works ("24 Songs different nations") and Liszt ("The Gondolier" from the cycle "Venice and Naples").
Songs of Venetian gondoliers in opera
What is a barcarolle in opera? This is a vocal number performed at a characteristic tempo and associated with Venetian theme. The gondolier was first performed in the opera-ballet “The Carnival of Venice” by the Frenchman Andre Campra. This happened in 1710. Since then, many Italian and French composers have resorted to the barcarolle genre, including them in their operas. Examples include Giovanni Paisiello, Ferdinand Herold, and Daniel Ober.
The “song on the water” also sounds in the famous operas “Othello” and “William Tell” by Rossini. Jacques Offenbach included the barcarolle in The Tales of Hoffmann. This is one of the most famous melodies. A sensual duet written for two women's voices, creates a feeling of impending disaster. Rimsky-Korsakov also put the barcarolle into the mouth of the Vedenets guest in his opera "Sadko". Venice was called Vedenets in Rus'. The song paints an image of a distant city, where gentle warm winds blow, waves splash and love serenades sound.
So what is barcarolle? This is a soft rhythm, reminiscent of rolling waves, a romantic mood, a special peace. Listening to the barcarolle, we are transported into the world of winding canals, black gondolas, colorful gondoliers and melodies scattering over the water surface.
Barcarolle - child of VeniceBarcarolle (from Italian barka - “boat”) - folk song Venetian gondoliers or a work written in the style of this song.
Barcarolle was born in a wonderful Italian city Venice. Built on
numerous islands, Venice has almost no streets. Instead of them
the city is cut through by canals. The doors of the houses open straight into the canals, towards the steps
long black boats - gondolas - are tied. In such boats, silently
sliding along the endless ribbons of canals, and barcarolles were born - songs
gondolier boatmen. These songs are smooth and melodious, accompanied by -
measured swaying in a peculiar rhythm, as if from attacking one after another
another wave.
These songs are unusual, how unusual
and the boatmen who perform them.
Composers fell in love with the soft song rhythm of the barcarolle (sometimes called
gondolier), and now, following the Venetian folk songs appeared
barcarolles created by composers different countries, vocal barcarolles and
piano
The heyday of this musical form occurred in the era of romanticism. It is reflected in the works of Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, as well as in the operas of Offenbach, Rossini, Weber, Rimsky-Korsakov and in the works of other composers. Schubert used the barcarolle form for several of his songs.
Schubert. Sl. Shtolberg - Spanish M. Gryaznova, N. Smirnova
Smoothly, like a swan, through the transparent moisture,
Quietly rocking, our shuttle floats,
Oh, when the heart is light and calm,
There is no trace of past worries in him.
In the sunset sky the rays are burning out...
The shuttle is covered in pink glitter.
Hour after hour passes unnoticed...
Then we glide along the mirror of water...
The heart is like waves, light and calm,
There is not a shadow of past worries in him...
Oh, is it really on misty wings
Morning will bring them with it again!
Offenbach - Tales of Hoffmann. Barcarolle
Mendelssohn - Song of the Venetian Gondoliers
Schubert - Barcarolle
Thomas Brooks
Tchaikovsky - Seasons. June. Barcarolle
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The Italian word "barka" means boat. A derivative of it is the barcarolle - the boatman's song. Perhaps someone will be surprised: why should the songs sung by boatmen be given a special name! After all, they can sing the same thing as everyone else... But they can’t. These songs are unusual, as are the boatmen who perform them. was born in the wonderful Italian city of Venice. Built on numerous islands, Venice has almost no streets. Instead, the city is cut through by canals. The doors of the houses open directly into the canals, and long black boats - gondolas - are tied to the steps. In such boats, silently gliding along the endless ribbons of canals, barcarolles were born - songs of gondolier boatmen. These songs are smooth and melodious, accompanied by measured swaying in a peculiar rhythm, as if from waves rolling in one after another.
Composers fell in love with the soft song rhythm of the barcarolle (sometimes called a gondolier), and after the Venetian folk songs, barcarolles appeared, created by composers from different countries, vocal and piano barcarolles. In Mendelssohn we find Barcarolle in his “Songs without Words”, in Tchaikovsky - in the collection “The Seasons”, this is the play “June”. Barcarolles were written by Glinka, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Lyadov. And of the vocal barcarolles, the most famous and most unusual was written by Rimsky-Korsakov. This is “Song of the Vedenetsky Guest” in the opera “Sadko”. In the old days in Rus', Venice was called Vedenets, and for the Venetian merchant - the Vedenets guest - the composer composed an aria in the rhythm and character of a Venetian folk song, barcarolle.
View value Barcarolle in other dictionaries
Barcarolle— barcarolles, w. (Italian barcarola) (music). A type of musical or vocal work of a melodic nature at a slow tempo. (After the names of the songs of Venetian gondoliers.)
Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
Barcarolle J.— 1. Song of the Venetian gondoliers. 2. A vocal or instrumental work of a lyrical nature in the style of such a song.
Explanatory Dictionary by Efremova
Barcarolle- -s; and. [ital. barcarola from barca - boat].
1. Song of the Venetian gondoliers.
2. An instrumental or vocal work of a lyrical nature in the style of such a song.
Kuznetsov's Explanatory Dictionary
Barcarolle- (Italian barcarola - from barca - boat), song of the Venetian gondoliers; The soft, swinging movement of the melody and lyrical character are typical. Many composers have created vocal........
Big encyclopedic dictionary
Barcarolle— - song of the Venetian gondoliers.
Historical Dictionary
The musical characteristics of the folk barcarolle are a minor scale, 6/8 time signature, a monotonous rhythmic pattern and the use of triplets, using characteristic Italian thirds. The speed of execution is one of the varieties of moderate tempos (andantino, andante cantabile, alegretto moderato). The character of the melody is lyrical, dreamy, light and calm. All this evokes associations with the rocking of a boat on the waves and the striking of an oar on the water surface.
Literally translated from Italian, “barcarolle” means a rocking boat (barca - boat, rollare - to experience roll).
Dictionaries and encyclopedias give the following definition of this concept: the song of the Venetian gondoliers (gondolieri or barcaruoli), “the boatman’s song” or “the song on the water.”
IN modern interpretation the term barcarolle includes a vocal or instrumental piece written in the style of such a song.
The fact is that with the beginning of the era musical romanticism, the content of European music was transformed under the influence of folklore. The gondolier “stepped” beyond the limits folk art and became a professional genre.
The use of barcarolle in the classical format was started by the French composer A. Campra, who wrote the opera “The Venetian Feast” in 1710. Although musicologists give primacy in this matter to F. Aubert (“The Mute of Portici”, “Fra Diavolo”, etc.). Be that as it may, they were followed by other French and Italian composers: F. Herold (“Tsampa”), J. Gall “Barcarolle”, G. Rossini (“William Tell”), etc. One of the most famous in the world musical culture considered to be the barcarolle “Beautiful night, oh night” from J. Offenbach’s opera “The Tales of Hoffmann”. The duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano “The moon is pouring pearly light” has been a highlight of the concert repertoire of the presenters for many years opera divas. Offenbach's music is heard not only on stage, but also in cinema (the film Life is Beautiful, 1997).
Having become a genre of professional music, barcarolle was slightly modified in comparison with folk music: it included major scales, size 12/8 or 3/4, multi-part, etc. But the main thing is that the simplicity and artlessness of Italian music, the calm and restraint of its sound, the smooth and melodious flow of sounds were preserved. Based on some classical works set to authentic folk melodies. For example, “The Gondolier” from the piano cycle “Venice and Naples” by F. Liszt. To writing instrumental barcarolles as independent musical works musicians such as B. Bartok, J-A. Ravina, F. Schubert, F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. French composer G. Fauré is the author of 13 dreamy and contemplative lyrical barcarolles.
Instrumental works written in this genre are called “songs without words,” thereby emphasizing their belonging to love lyrics. The imagination of composers depicts the blossoming of feelings in the lap of nature. F. Schubert’s play “The Fisherman’s Luck of Love” and F. Chopin’s inspired opus “Barcarolle, op.60" are close to the poem in genre. These are sensual stories with confessions and kisses accompanied by the whisper of leaves and the splash of water.
The variety of interpretations of this musical form is complemented by:
- choral barcarolles: “The Gondolier” (F. Schubert) and “Twenty Romances and Songs for women's choir"(I. Brahms)
- ensemble instrumental presentation of pieces: for violin and piano (E. Soret), for flute and piano (A. Casella).
Barcarolle as an example of Russian musical romanticism
The fusion of landscape and experience, the unity of the pictorial and expressive - this is what the barcarolle embodies.
Russian composers of the era of musical romanticism brought sincerity, light sadness and spirituality to the melodic love songs of Italian gondoliers. The works of S. Rachmaninov, A. Lyadov, A. Arensky, A. Glazunov, A. Rubinstein, I. Laskovsky, S. Lyapunov, which have become classics of this genre, are still included in popular collections of pedagogical repertoire for professionals and amateurs of piano music.
The romance “The blue ones fell asleep...” by M. Glinka and the play “June” from the cycle “The Seasons” by P. Tchaikovsky are surprisingly good. Largely due to the fact that they were written under the impression of the composers’ visit to the Queen of the Adriatic - Venice.
Of the Russian vocal barcarolles, “Song of the Vedenets Guest,” written by N. Rimsky-Korsakov for the opera “Sadko,” is recognized throughout the world as the most unusual. The Venetian merchant performing it is so eloquent and convincing that Sadko decides to go overseas to mysterious country Vedenets (as Venice was called in Rus') for happiness for Novgorod.
The heyday of the barcarolle was early XIX century. But to claim that this beautiful word fell out of use with the end of the Romantic era, it would not be entirely correct. In the 20th century, composers such as F. Poulenc, J. Gershwin, and L. Bernstein turned to writing music in the barcarolle style. Today, while taking a walk along the canals of Venice, tourists have the opportunity to hear melodic and bright songs from the lips of gondoliers. Italian songs. 
Just don’t ask them to sing “O Sole Mio” - the song has nothing to do with the history of the city or the “songs of the boatmen”. And here is the Neapolitan barcarolle, dedicated to beauty coastal town of Santa Lucia - this is what most likely inspired Eugenia Zikh to write poetic lines: “I am captivated by Barcarolle.” And the sounds are so wonderfully good. There is a lot of gentle minor in them. They are the consonance of my soul."