From time immemorial , each individual nation has formed its own traditions, which concerned not only life, but also various branches of art. Of course, Italy and its famous region of Venice have a tremendous cultural heritage. On the expanses of this city, which is located in the waters of the bay and numerous rivers, a new vocal and instrumental genre was born - barcarole. This is a peculiar song of the gondolier, which, according to legend, he always sings while being on duty.
A bit of history
From the very moment when Venice only grew on the waters, and numerous boats began to run between houses, a new profession appeared in the city - a gondolier. A man who rode tourists and locals on his small boat, for entertainment or business, always sang some typical Italian tune, which soon became known as “barcarole”. It could be songs with words that most often convey the essence of the life of such people, and just melodies that were sung in one of the vowels. In any case, passengers were always pleased to listen to the gondolier, and gradually their folk, unwritten work acquired official status. By the beginning of the 18th century, almost everyone in the world already knew what barcarol was.
The most unusual song of the Romantic era
In the 18th century, the songs of the Venetian gondoliers began to appear on the pages of musical dictionaries. By the 19th century, every professional musician or composer already knew exactly what barcarol was. The definition was made in those years, and in the same form it has survived to the present day. Musical dictionaries say that this musical genre is folk, which is of Venetian origin. It is characterized by lyrical character, sentimentality and melodiousness. It is also characteristic that barcarole is a song that has an off-beat rhythm - 6/8 or 12/8. According to professionals, such a musical size reminds listeners of the swaying on the waves. It is the most measured and at the same time allows the singer to feel free to play.
The song of gondoliers in the works of great composers
The heyday of this musical genre fell at the very peak of the era of Romanticism - in the 19th century. During this period, famous people such as Schubert, Chopin, Grieg, Jan Gall, Mendelssohn, Weber and Rossini created their masterpieces. Among our brilliant fellow countrymen who also worked in the framework of this musical style, it is worth mentioning Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Sergei Rachmaninov, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. It was they, as you can hear from their works, who knew for sure that barcarole is one of the most romantic, gentle and touching plays. And losing their creations now, you can listen to every note, enjoying the beauty and uniqueness of arpeggios and chords.
Listening and enjoying
We figured out what barcarole is from a professional point of view. Now we suggest viewing a list of the most famous works that will allow you to hear and understand how this genre sounds with a clear example. Simple in execution and at the same time incredibly beautiful is the barcarole of Pyotr Tchaikovsky, which is part of the “Seasons, July” cycle. Another boatman song that was written specifically for the piano is the work of Frederic Chopin - op. 60. Rachmaninoff, Bartok, Foret and many other geniuses also wrote their own barcarols for this keyboard-string instrument . But in the performance of ensembles and even a symphony orchestra, you can hear Glinka's barcarole, which is called "They fell asleep blue." For choral groups, Franz Schubert wrote his unique barcarole "Gondolier".