barcarole

American  

[bahr-kuh-rohl] / ˈbɑr kəˌroʊl /

Or barcarolle

noun

1. a boating song of the Venetian gondoliers.

2. a piece of music composed in the style of such songs.

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barcarole British  

/ ˌbɑːkəˈrəʊl, -ˌrɒl, ˈbɑːkəˌrəʊl /

noun

1. a Venetian boat song in a time of six or twelve quaver beats to the bar

2. an instrumental composition resembling this

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Etymology

Origin of barcarole

1605–15; < Venetian barcarola boatman's song, feminine of barcarolo, equivalent to barcar- (< Late Latin barcārius boatman; see bark ³, -ary) + -olo (≪ Latin -eolus )

Example Sentences

The least convincing part of the program was the standard repertory, with stilted interpretations of Chopin’s Barcarole and “Child Falling Asleep,” the penultimate movement from Schumann’s “Kinderszenen.”

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2012

The postintermission highlights were André Boucourechliev’s rambunctious “Orion III,” with its crashing chords, rumbling bass and misty interludes, and the Barcarole from Nils Vigeland’s “Life Sketches.”

From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2012

"Barcarole," "Barrack," and so on, until finally the word "Blythe" presented itself with a strange insistence, long after I had ceased trying to recall it.

From The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing A Manual of Ready Reference by Triemens, Joseph

"Barcarole," "Barrack," and so on, until the word "blythe" presented itself with a strange insistence, long after I had ceased trying to recall it.

From One Thousand Secrets of Wise and Rich Men Revealed by Bogardus, C. A.

"What do you think of that Barcarole thing of Spohr's?" he said over his shoulder.

From The Wonderful Visit by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)