Pastorale
Encyclopedia
For Beethoven's Pastoral symphony, see Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Pastorale refers to something of a pastoral
nature in music, whether in form or in mood.
In baroque music
, a pastorale is a movement of a melody in 3rds over a drone bass, recalling the traditional Christmas
playing of pifferari (players of traditional bagpipes (zampogna
) and reed pipes) in Italy
. Pastorales are generally in 6/8 or 12/8 metres. Common examples include the last movement of Corelli
's Christmas Concerto
(op.6 no.8), the third movement in Vivaldi's Spring concerto from The Four Seasons
, the Pifa movement in Handel
's Messiah
, the first movements of Bach
's Pastorella (BWV 590) for organ and his Sinfonia opening part II of his Christmas Oratorio
as an introduction to the angelic announcement to the shepherds. Scarlatti
wrote some examples in his keyboard sonatas, and many other baroque composers, particularly French, used this technique.
Pastorales are still played in the regions of Southern Italy where the zampogna
continues to thrive. They generally sound like a slowed down version of a tarantella
, as they encompass many of the same melodic phrases. The pastorale on the zampogna can be played by a solo zampogna player, or in some regions can be accompanied by the piffero
(also commonly called a ciaramella, pipita, or bifera), which is a primitive key-less double reed oboe type instrument.
.
Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony , is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was completed in 1808...
Pastorale refers to something of a pastoral
Pastoral
The adjective pastoral refers to the lifestyle of pastoralists, such as shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasturage. It also refers to a genre in literature, art or music that depicts such shepherd life in an...
nature in music, whether in form or in mood.
In baroque music
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
, a pastorale is a movement of a melody in 3rds over a drone bass, recalling the traditional Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
playing of pifferari (players of traditional bagpipes (zampogna
Zampogna
Zampogna is a generic term for a number of Italian double chantered pipes that can be found as far north as the southern part of the Marche, throughout areas in Abruzzo, Latium, Molise, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily...
) and reed pipes) in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Pastorales are generally in 6/8 or 12/8 metres. Common examples include the last movement of Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli
Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music.-Biography:Corelli was born at Fusignano, in the current-day province of Ravenna, although at the time it was in the province of Ferrara. Little is known about his early life...
's Christmas Concerto
Christmas Concerto
Concerto grosso in G minor, Op. 6, No. 8, by Arcangelo Corelli, known commonly as his Christmas Concerto, was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and published posthumously in 1714 as part of his Twelve concerti grossi, Op. 6. The concerto bears the inscription Fatto per la notte di Natale...
(op.6 no.8), the third movement in Vivaldi's Spring concerto from The Four Seasons
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
The Four Seasons is a set of four violin concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. Composed in 1723, The Four Seasons is Vivaldi's best-known work, and is among the most popular pieces of Baroque music. The texture of each concerto is varied, each resembling its respective season...
, the Pifa movement in Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
, the first movements of Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
's Pastorella (BWV 590) for organ and his Sinfonia opening part II of his Christmas Oratorio
Christmas Oratorio
The Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 incorporating music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a...
as an introduction to the angelic announcement to the shepherds. Scarlatti
Scarlatti
Scarlatti was the name of several Italian composers:*Alessandro Scarlatti , Baroque composer known for operas and chamber cantatas*Francesco Scarlatti , Baroque composer and musician, brother of Alessandro Scarlatti...
wrote some examples in his keyboard sonatas, and many other baroque composers, particularly French, used this technique.
Pastorales are still played in the regions of Southern Italy where the zampogna
Zampogna
Zampogna is a generic term for a number of Italian double chantered pipes that can be found as far north as the southern part of the Marche, throughout areas in Abruzzo, Latium, Molise, Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, and Sicily...
continues to thrive. They generally sound like a slowed down version of a tarantella
Tarantella
The term tarantella groups a number of different southern Italian couple folk dances characterized by a fast upbeat tempo, usually in 6/8 time , accompanied by tambourines. It is among the most recognized of traditional Italian music. The specific dance name varies with every region, for instance...
, as they encompass many of the same melodic phrases. The pastorale on the zampogna can be played by a solo zampogna player, or in some regions can be accompanied by the piffero
Piffero
The piffero or piffaro is a double reed musical instrument with a conical bore, of the oboe family.It is used to play music in the tradition of the quattro province, an area of mountains and valleys in the north-west Italian Apennines which includes parts of the four provinces of Alessandria,...
(also commonly called a ciaramella, pipita, or bifera), which is a primitive key-less double reed oboe type instrument.
Other uses
A pastorale, also spelled pastoralli, and pastorali, is also a long handled metal tool used for holding a plate to preheat glass in a furnace for glassblowingGlassblowing
Glassblowing is a glassforming technique that involves inflating molten glass into a bubble, or parison, with the aid of a blowpipe, or blow tube...
.