Barcarolle

A Barcarolle (from the Italian barca " bark, boat " ) was originally a Venetian gondola or Schifferlied in 6/8- or 12/8-Takt.

The melodies of Barcaroles are calm character. Due to the unusual underlaid clock the impression of a vast movement is caused in the melody, reminiscent of the swings a gondola in the canals of Venice.

From the 19th century the name and form were used in European art music for vocal as instrumental compositions. Composers who wrote Barcaroles for piano, for example, Chopin and Mendelssohn. A well-known vocal Barcarolle opened the fourth act of the opera Les Contes d'Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach, which also an instrumental version exists.

Barcarolle in the night was a No. 1 hit by American singer Connie Francis in 1963 in Germany.