Barcarole << BAHR kuh rohl >>, also spelled barcarolle, is a musical term for the songs originally sung by gondoliers in Venice. The term comes from the Italian word barca, which means boat or barge. The term barcarole has come to be applied to many compositions written during the 1800’s, usually in 6/8 time. They were written not only for voice but also for piano and other instruments. Especially well-known barcaroles were written by Polish composer Frédéric Chopin and French composer Jacques Offenbach.
