Cassation (music)

Last updated

Cassation is a minor musical genre related to the serenade and divertimento. In the mid- to late 18th century, cassations commonly comprised loosely assembled sets of short movements intended for outdoor performance by orchestral or chamber ensembles. The genre was popular in southern German-speaking lands. Other synonymous titles used by German-speaking composers and cataloguers included Cassatio, Cassatione and Kassation. [1] An equivalent Italian term was Cassazione. The genre is occasionally alluded to in the titles of some twentieth-century compositions.

Contents

Eighteenth-century genre

Works titled cassation were especially common in southern Germany, Austria and Bohemia in the mid- to late part of the eighteenth century. [2] Some early works by Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart bear the title cassation; other composers of the classical and pre-classical era who produced cassations include Franz Joseph Aumann, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Michael Haydn, Leopold Hofmann, Antonio Rosetti, Joseph Schmitt, Johannes Sperger and Johann Baptist Wanhal. [1] [2] The Toy Symphony (no known author) was a reduction of an earlier Cassation in G. [3] The Italianized term, cassazione, appears to have been used by Antonio Salieri. [4]

It is hard to discern any substantial formal characteristic that could distinguish cassations from other serenade-like genres, such as the divertimento, notturno, or Finalmusik. [n 1] [1] It seems likely that the term cassation was used to refer to the intended social function of the music as outdoor entertainment rather than any particular structural features. [6] Breitkopf's thematic catalogues of the time tended to apply titles such as "cassation" and "divertimento" rather interchangeably, as did the composers themselves. [2] Both Mozart and Michael Haydn seem to have used the term only to refer to orchestral pieces, seemingly resembling the Salzburg serenade while generally lacking concerto movements, whereas Joseph Haydn called his Op. 1 and Op. 2 string quartets "cassations". [2] Instrumental and orchestral cassations seem to be stylistically linked to the divertimento and serenade, respectively. [2] By the end of the eighteenth century, the term had fallen out of fashion. [2]

Twentieth century usage

The term was also sporadically adopted in the twentieth century. [2] Malcolm Williamson composed a series of ten mini-operas involving audience participation (especially aimed at children), which he called "cassations". [7] Cassazione is the title of an orchestral piece in a single movement by Jean Sibelius, [8] and of a string sextet by Riccardo Malipiero. [9]

Etymology

The etymology of the musical term is uncertain. [2] Mozart’s cassations K. 63 and K. 99 open with marches, and the term has been speculatively linked to the Italian word cassa, meaning "drum". [6] Hermann Abert was among those who thought that the term derives from the Italian cassare, meaning "to dismiss", [n 2] implying a musical farewell, or Abschiedsmusik. [2] The French word casser (to break) was also invoked, based on the notion that the movements could be freely broken up into any order. [2] A more likely derivation, reflecting the outdoor character of the genre, involves a transformation of the Austrian dialectal word gassatim: specifically, gassatim gehen was an expression commonly used by local eighteenth-century musicians to refer to street performance. [2] [6] [11]

Notes

  1. ↑ Finalmusik was the performance name given to serenade-like compositions, including cassations, written by Mozart and other composers for the summer graduation ceremonies of the University of Salzburg. [5]
  2. ↑ The legal usage of the term "cassation" (Italian, cassazione) does derive from the equivalent Late-Latin word, cassare. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Salieri</span> Italian composer and teacher (1750–1825)

Antonio Salieri was an Italian composer and teacher of the classical period. He was born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, and spent his adult life and career as a subject of the Habsburg monarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classical period (music)</span> Era of classical music (c. 1730–1820)

The Classical period was an era of classical music between roughly 1750 and 1820.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Symphony</span> Type of extended musical composition

A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning common today: a work usually consisting of multiple distinct sections or movements, often four, with the first movement in sonata form. Symphonies are almost always scored for an orchestra consisting of a string section, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments which altogether number about 30 to 100 musicians. Symphonies are notated in a musical score, which contains all the instrument parts. Orchestral musicians play from parts which contain just the notated music for their own instrument. Some symphonies also contain vocal parts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">String quartet</span> Musical ensemble of four string players

The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists, a violist, and a cellist.

A string trio is a group of three string instruments or a piece written for such a group. From at least the 19th century on, the term "string trio" with otherwise unspecified instrumentation normally refers to the combination violin, viola and cello. The classical string trio emerged during the mid-18th century and later expanded into four subgenres: the grand trio, the concertant trio, the brilliant trio, and the Hausmusik trio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">String orchestra</span> Musical ensemble

A string orchestra is an orchestra consisting solely of a string section made up of the bowed strings used in Western Classical music. The instruments of such an orchestra are most often the following: the violin, which is divided into first and second violin players, the viola, the cello, and usually, but not always, the double bass.

<i>Eine kleine Nachtmusik</i> Composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791). The German title means "a little night music". The work is written for an ensemble of two violins, viola, cello and double bass, but is often performed by string orchestras. The serenade is one of Mozart's most famous works.

The Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, now also called the Saint Anthony Variations, is a work in the form of a theme and variations, composed by Johannes Brahms in the summer of 1873 at Tutzing in Bavaria. It consists of a theme in B♭ major based on a "Chorale St Antoni", eight variations, and a finale. The work was published in two versions: for two pianos, written first but designated Op. 56b; and for orchestra, designated Op. 56a.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cecilia Bartoli</span> Italian opera singer

Cecilia BartoliOMRI is an Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist. She is best known for her interpretations of the music of Bellini, Handel, Mozart, Rossini and Vivaldi, as well as for her performances of lesser-known music from the Baroque and Classical period. She is known for singing both soprano and mezzo roles.

Divertimento is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the divertimento is most often lighthearted and it is generally composed for a small ensemble. The term is used to describe a wide variety of secular (non-religious) instrumental works for soloist or chamber ensemble. It is usually a kind of music entertainment, although it could also be applied to a more serious genre. After 1780, the term generally designated works that were informal or light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serenade</span> Musical composition or performance

In music, a serenade is a musical composition or performance delivered in honour of someone or something. Serenades are typically calm, light pieces of music. The term comes from the Italian word serenata, which itself derives from the Latin serenus. Sense influenced by Italian sera "evening", from Latin sera, fem. of serus "late".

The composer Joseph Haydn is sometimes given the nickname "Papa" Haydn. The practice began in Haydn's lifetime and has continued to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tafelmusik</span> Form of 16th-century entertainment music

Tafelmusik is a term used since the mid-16th century for music played at feasts and banquets. Table music could be either instrumental, vocal, or both. As might be expected, it was often of a somewhat lighter character than music for other occasions. In solemn banquets, starting with wedding dinners, the presence of singers and instrumentalists is customary and almost obligatory.

D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F♯, G, A, B, and C♯. Its key signature has two sharps. The D major scale is:

Harmonie is a German word that, in the context of the history of music, designates an ensemble of wind instruments employed by an aristocratic patron, particularly during the Classical era of the 18th century. The Harmonie would be employed for outdoor or recreational music, or as a wind section of an orchestra. Music composed for Harmonie is often called Harmoniemusik.

The Divertimento in G major, Hob. XVI/8, L. 1, was written in 1766 by Joseph Haydn.

<i>Cassazione</i> (Sibelius) Orchestral composition by Jean Sibelius

Cassazione, Op. 6, is a single-movement concert piece for orchestra written in 1904 by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Its title refers to the cassation, a genre similar to the serenade, that was popular in the eighteenth century. Sibelius originally structured the work in five "episodes," although upon revision in 1905 he reduced this to four. Although his opus numbers were already in the forties, he assigned the unused number Op. 6 to this work, implying an earlier composition date.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassation in G major, K. 63</span> Composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Cassation in G major, K. 63 is a cassation for orchestra by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed around 1769 for the celebration of finalists from the University of Salzburg. The work is one of three smaller-scale compositions, all written in 1769.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Webster, James (1974). "Towards a History of Viennese Chamber Music in the Early Classical Period". Journal of the American Musicological Society . 27 (2): 212–247. doi:10.2307/830559. JSTOR   830559.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Unverricht, Hubert; Eisen, Cliff. "Cassation". Grove Music Online . Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 11 August 2013.(subscription required)
  3. ↑ Kennedy, Michael; Bourne, Joyce, eds. (2004). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music . Oxford University Press. p.  494. ISBN   978-0-19-860884-4 . Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Della Croce, Vittorio; Blanchetti, Francesco (1994). Il caso Salieri (in Italian). Eda. p. 564. ISBN   9788888689197 . Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  5. ↑ Unverricht, Hubert; Eisen, Cliff. "Finalmusik". Grove Music Online . Oxford Music Online. Retrieved 11 August 2013.(subscription required)
  6. 1 2 3 "Cassation". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Meredith, Anthony; Harris, Paul (2007). Malcolm Williamson: a mischievous muse. Omnibus. p. 215. ISBN   978-1-84772-102-0.
  8. ↑ Tawaststjerna, Erik (1976). Sibelius: 1865-1905 . University of California Press. p.  289. ISBN   978-0-520-03014-5 . Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  9. ↑ "Riccardo Malipiero (1914-2003) - Cassazione (String Sextet)". Earsense chamberbase. Earbase.org. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Cassare". Treccani (in Italian). Treccani.it. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
  11. ↑ Ulrich, Homer (1966). Chamber Music . Columbia University Press. ISBN   0-231-08617-2 . Retrieved 5 July 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.