What is "bagatelle"

Bagatelle \Bag`a*telle"\ (b[a^]g`[.a]*t[e^]l"), n. [F., fr. It. bagatella; cf. Prov. It. bagata trifle, OF. bague, Pr. bagua, bundle. See Bag, n.]

1. A trifle; a thing of no importance.

   Rich trifles, serious bagatelles.
   --Prior.

2. A game played on an oblong board, having, at one end, cups or arches into or through which balls are to be driven by a rod held in the hand of the player.

1630s, "a trifle," from French bagatelle "knick-knack, bauble, trinket" (16c.), from Italian bagatella "a trifle," diminutive of Latin baca "berry." As "a piece of light music," it is attested from 1827.

n. 1 A trifle; an unsubstantial thing. 2 A short piece of literature or of instrumental music, typically light or playful in character. 3 A game similar to billiards played on an oblong table with pockets or arches at one end only. 4 Any of several smaller, wooden table top games developed from the original bagatelle in which the pockets are made of pins; also called pin bagatelle, hit-a-pin bagatelle, jaw ball.

1. n. a light piece of music for piano

2. something of little value or significance [syn: fluff, frippery, frivolity]

3. a table game in which short cues are used to knock balls into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over [syn: bar billiards]

Bagatelle (from the Château de Bagatelle) is a billiards-derived indoor table game, the object of which is to get a number of balls (set at nine in the 19th century) past wooden pins (which act as obstacles) into holes that are guarded by wooden pegs; penalties are incurred if the pegs are knocked over. It probably developed from the table made with raised sides for trou madame, which was also played with ivory balls and continued to be popular into the later nineteenth century, after which it developed into bar billiards, with influences from the French/Belgian game (with supposed Russian origins). A bagatelle variant using fixed metal pins, billard japonais, eventually led to the development of pachinko and pinball. Bagatelle is also laterally related to miniature golf.

Bagatelle is a table game and the predecessor of the pinball machine.

Bagatelle may also refer to:

• Bagatelle (band), an Irish rock band
• Bagatelle (literary technique), a literary tool
• Bagatelle (music), a musical form
• Bagatelle (opera), an opéra-comique by Offenbach
• Château de Bagatelle, a castle in the Bois de Boulogne, Paris
• Concours de roses de Bagatelle, the Paris International competition for new roses at the Château de Bagatelle
• Bagatelle restaurant, a gourmet restaurant in Oslo, Norway
• Bagatelle, Dominica, a village in southeastern Dominica
• Bagatelle (theme park), a theme park in Berck, France
• Bagatelle (estate), a house and garden designed by architect Edward H. Bennett for his family in Lake Forest, Illinois
• "Bagatelle", a science fiction short story by John Varley
• Bagatelle Plantation House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Iberville Parish, Louisiana
• Bagatelles and satires (Benjamin Franklin), Benjamin Franklin's satires from his Passy Press, in France

A bagatelle is a short piece of music, typically for the piano, and usually of a light, mellow character. The name bagatelle literally means "a short unpretentious instrumental composition" as a reference to the light style of a piece (; ). Although bagatelles are generally written for solo piano, they have also been written for piano four hands, harpsichord, harp, organ, classical guitar, vibraphone, unaccompanied oboe, clarinet, violin, viola, various chamber-music configurations, orchestra, band, voice and piano, and a capella choir.

Bagatelle is a one-act opéra-comique by Jacques Offenbach, with a French libretto by Hector Crémieux and Ernest Blum.

It was first produced on 21 May 1874 at Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens under the direction of the composer.

Bagatelle is a Canadian children's television series which aired on CBC Television in 1974.

A bagatelle is a short literary piece in light style. Definitions of the term vary, referring to a variety of forms to which a bagatelle refers. While generally considered an unimportant or insignificant thing or trifle.

Bagatelle are an Irish rock band that first formed in August 1978. They are known for their popular pop hits such as "Second Violin", "Leeson Street Lady" and "Summer in Dublin", their best known song.

The band formed in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Fellow Irish musician Bono commented on the impact that Bagatelle had on U2 in the early days of their career. Larry Mullen, of the same band, once famously said that he used to call them "Baga-Money", in reference to their fame, and that he wished that his band could be as successful as Bagatelle.

Bagatelle shared stages with artists such as Bob Marley, Don McLean and Jose Feliciano. Their albums were produced by Phil Coulter and the late Gus Dudgeon, who also produced for David Bowie and Elton John. Bagatelle appeared on the "Self Aid" concert in the mid-1980s with U2 and Van Morrison.

When the original Bagatelle re-formed the band in 1992, Polygram (now Universal), their record label, decided to release The Best of Bagatelle and Liam Reilly, and followed this with Bagatelle Gold. The band returned to touring in 2010 and released an album of cover versions entitled Under The Covers.

Although the band never attained international acclaim, they remain a hugely popular band in their home nation of Ireland. However, the hit "Second Violin" was such a success in Uruguay that today it remains popular.