Seasonal song in plain setting, one from The Gondoliers? (9)
I believe the answer is:
barcarole
'one from the gondoliers?' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I don't understand how they can define each other.
'seasonal song in plain' is the wordplay.
'seasonal song' becomes 'carol' (I've seen this in another clue).
'in' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'plain' becomes 'bare' (similar in meaning).
'carol' placed into 'bare' is 'BARCAROLE'.
'setting' is the link.
(Other definitions for barcarole that I've seen before include "Italian song" , "Gondolier's song" , "music of Venice" , "Venetian boat song" , "Venetian boating song" .)