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.
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 usageedit
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]
Etymologyedit
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]
Notesedit
^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]
^The legal usage of the term "cassation" (Italian, cassazione) does derive from the equivalent Late-Latin word, cassare.[10]
^Kennedy, Michael; Bourne, Joyce, eds. (2004). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press. p. 494. ISBN978-0-19-860884-4. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
^Della Croce, Vittorio; Blanchetti, Francesco (1994). Il caso Salieri (in Italian). Eda. p. 564. ISBN9788888689197. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
^"Cassare". Treccani (in Italian). Treccani.it. Retrieved 11 August 2013.
^Ulrich, Homer (1966). Chamber Music. Columbia University Press. ISBN0-231-08617-2. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
January 01, 1970
cassation, music, legal, term, court, cassation, cassation, minor, musical, genre, related, serenade, divertimento, late, 18th, century, cassations, commonly, comprised, loosely, assembled, sets, short, movements, intended, outdoor, performance, orchestral, ch. For the legal term see Court of cassation 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 1 Eighteenth century genre 2 Twentieth century usage 3 Etymology 4 Notes 5 ReferencesEighteenth century genre editWorks 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 editThe 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 editThe 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 edit 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 The legal usage of the term cassation Italian cassazione does derive from the equivalent Late Latin word cassare 10 References edit a b c 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 a b c d e f g h i j k Unverricht Hubert Eisen Cliff Cassation Grove Music Online Oxford Music Online Retrieved 11 August 2013 subscription required 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 Della Croce Vittorio Blanchetti Francesco 1994 Il caso Salieri in Italian Eda p 564 ISBN 9788888689197 Retrieved 11 August 2013 Unverricht Hubert Eisen Cliff Finalmusik Grove Music Online Oxford Music Online Retrieved 11 August 2013 subscription required a b c Cassation Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Retrieved 11 August 2013 Meredith Anthony Harris Paul 2007 Malcolm Williamson a mischievous muse Omnibus p 215 ISBN 978 1 84772 102 0 Tawaststjerna Erik 1976 Sibelius 1865 1905 University of California Press p 289 ISBN 978 0 520 03014 5 Retrieved 11 August 2013 Riccardo Malipiero 1914 2003 Cassazione String Sextet Earsense chamberbase Earbase org Retrieved 11 August 2013 Cassare Treccani in Italian Treccani it Retrieved 11 August 2013 Ulrich Homer 1966 Chamber Music Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 08617 2 Retrieved 5 July 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cassation music amp oldid 1211984786, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
