Meaning of Bab Ballad in Music
In the context of music, the term "Bab Ballad" refers to a collection of light verse poems written by W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911), who was also known for his work as a librettist in the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operas. These poems were often humorous and satirical in nature and were accompanied by Gilbert's own comic drawings. The term "Bab Ballad" is derived from the name of these poems and is not specifically related to music itself.
It is worth noting that Gilbert drew inspiration from several of his earlier "Bab Ballad" poems when creating the plots for some of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, including "H.M.S. Pinafore". However, the term "Bab Ballad" does not have a specific meaning within the realm of music beyond its association with Gilbert's work.
This is the term used to designate poetry of William Gilbert of Gilbert & Sullivan fame. Gilbert used the pen name Bab to publish short stories in the form of poems in the magazine Fun. Bab was a childhood nickname of his. By 1871, there were about 119 published in the magazine. During this time (1869), he also published a collection of 44 of his Bab Ballads, and later in 1873, published another collection of 36 more. Several publications consider these two collections (totaling 80 poems) as the complete Bab Ballads, but experts have put the actual number close to 140 total poems. Gilbert & Sullivan's light opera, HMS Pinafore, used a number of these poems as source material for the story. The Bumboat Woman's Story, Captain Reece, General John, Joe Golightly, and The Marinet all had a part in the plot. In 1950, Charles Mackerras arranged a collection of melodies from the Gilbert & Sullivan light operas into a ballet, Pineapple Poll, based on The Bumboat Woman's Story.
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