Ariose

Much easy-listening music is light and ariose.

AR′IŌSE, a. [From arioso.] Characterized by melody, as distinguished from harmony; as, the ariose beauty of Handel.

In the promise of Jesus, "Upon this rock will I build my church," the recitative is succeeded by ariose, and then by the triumphant base aria of Peter, the dramatic being reached in the C major chorus, "The Church is built." […] In the opening passages [of the second scene] of mingled recitative and ariose Peter is forewarned that he shall deny his master, and his half-indignant remonstrance is seconded by the voices of the other disciples.

He tried to speak in an ariose, teasing manner, not wanting to offend his charge.

The question becomes why certain settings in music, and a certain playing of simple against more complex lyrics, can remake debased language and restore the innocence of emotional expression. (Opera singers know this, in the ariose transformations of "Un bel dì" [One fine day] or "O mio babbino caro" [Oh my dear papa]. But then opera criticism, too, has a long-standing problem with lyrics.)