Barcarolle

When I listened to the Barcarolle I had a hard time understanding what Chopin’s intentions were in composing this piece. Then I realized I didn’t really know what a Barcarolle was in the first place. A Barcarolle is a folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers. It is supposed to have a rhythm that portrays a gondolier’s stroke, usually characterized by a 6/8 meter. This image of a Venetian Gondolier is very romantic, which is typical of Chopin. He begins the piece with a typical Chopin style left hand that is a continuous arpeggiated pattern. This is a very effective way of representing the water and the paddeling of the gondolier. The melody begins and has a very swaying melody with dotted rhythms. I think this piece is one of Chopin’s greatest works since it really showcases what he was best at. He can take an image, such as the Barcarolle, and somehow create a piece of music that represents it perfectly.