pastorale

In Baroque music, a pastorale is a movement of a melody in thirds over a drone bass, recalling the Christmas music of pifferari, players of the traditional Italian bagpipe (zampogna) and reed pipe (piffero). Pastorales are generally in 6/8 or 9/8 or 12/8 metre, at a moderate tempo.

What is pastoral music? Derived from the Latin word 'pastor' – meaning 'shepherd' – pastoral music is, in short, that which depicts and celebrates the countryside.

Pastoralism is a form of animal husbandry where domesticated animals (known as "livestock") are released onto large vegetated outdoor lands (pastures) for grazing, historically by nomadic people who moved around with their herds.

A pastoral is defined as a work of literature that focuses on the relationship between humanity and nature in a rural environment. This is typically an idyllic relationship that lacks the stresses of urban life, focusing on simple, carefree shepherds.

Other pastoral works charming us at Christmastime include Archaneglo Corelli's Concerto Grosso in G minor, Op. 6, no. 8 (the “Christmas Concerto”), Respighi's Lauds to the Nativity (featured a few days ago), and many traditional tunes like The Coventry Carol, Greensleeves, and Good Christian Men, Rejoice.

Synonyms of pastoral

• pastorale.
• idyl.
• idyll.
• eclogue.
• elegy.
• psalm.
• madrigal.
• epic.

They are generally discussed as a group (sometimes with the addition of the Epistle to Philemon) and are given the title "pastoral" because they are addressed to individuals with pastoral oversight of churches and discuss issues of Christian living, doctrine and leadership.

Some notable examples of pastoral poems include The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe, A Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd by Sir Walter Raleigh, and The Bait by John Donne.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, pastoralism can be defined as 'the practice of keeping sheep, cattle, or other grazing animals' and 'the nomadic, non-industrial society that this implies'.

Music in this style evokes the countryside, often by the use of a droning bass and/or simple melodies that move in thirds. Examples include the fourth movement of Corelli's Christmas Concerto, Op. 6 No. 8 and the Pastoral Symphony from Handel's Messiah.

Examples of pastoral in a Sentence Adjective The house is situated in a charming pastoral setting. Her favorite painting in the collection is a pastoral landscape. The bishop outlined the church's views in a pastoral letter.

Pastoral poetry features imagery of nature, shepherds, and shepherdesses in an idealized portrayal of life in the countryside. Pastoral poetry often addresses love, but it may also critique city life or express mourning over a person's death.