Barzelletta
Encyclopedia
Barzelletta was a popular verse form used by frottola
composers in Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is generally trochaic
, with eight syllable
s per line. The barzelletta consists of two sections: a reprisa which is four rhyming lines (abba or abab), a stanza
, and a volta. The barzelletta tends to be lively and dance-like, with heavy accents on cadences.
Frottola
The frottola was the predominant type of Italian popular, secular song of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century. It was the most important and widespread predecessor to the madrigal...
composers in Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is generally trochaic
Trochee
A trochee or choree, choreus, is a metrical foot used in formal poetry consisting of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one...
, with eight syllable
Syllable
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
s per line. The barzelletta consists of two sections: a reprisa which is four rhyming lines (abba or abab), a stanza
Stanza
In poetry, a stanza is a unit within a larger poem. In modern poetry, the term is often equivalent with strophe; in popular vocal music, a stanza is typically referred to as a "verse"...
, and a volta. The barzelletta tends to be lively and dance-like, with heavy accents on cadences.