pastorale
/ˌpastəˈrɑːl
/noun (plural pastorales or pastorali /ˌpastəˈrɑːliː/)
1 Music A slow instrumental composition in compound time, usually with drone notes in the bass: the pastorales in Handel’s Messiah and Corelli’s Christmas Concerto...
- The Concertante pastorale from 1951 sounds moonlit.
- Movement III unfolds as a graceful pastorale in 6/8 time, presenting the melody twice in its entirety, adding gravity through use of an ostinato-like pedal line.
- It actually contains a prelude and three dances a well as the pastorale movement - a popular idiom of the period.
2A simple musical play with a rural subject: these two short pastorales are considered the earliest true operas in French...
- Silverman confirms that during this time of year, Arles was awash in santons, crèches, and performances of pastorales, Nativity plays.
- Traditional Basque plays known as pastorales, which possibly related to medieval mystery plays, are still performed at festivals.
- It's an oxymoron but ‘Unconditional’ is an urban pastorale.
Origin
Early 18th century: from Italian, literally 'pastoral' (adjective used as a noun).