Cassation
tagStarted c. 1760Peak 1760–1785Last big hit c. 1790
Located in 1 route
Cassation is a close relative of the divertimento and serenade, usually light, multi-movement, outdoor-minded, and designed for social pleasure rather than concentrated concert listening. Its sound is elegant and open-air, often favoring immediate melody, march rhythm, and danceable sections.
History
The cassation flourished briefly in the later eighteenth century, especially in Austro-German contexts, before the terminology and function of the genre blurred into serenade and divertimento. Mozart’s early examples remain the best-known; the form helps illuminate how much of Classical music was designed for occasion, mobility, and social use rather than solemn “masterpiece” framing.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Cassation in G major K 63 — Camerata SalzburgSpotifyYouTube
- Cassation in B-flat major K 99 — Vienna Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Serenata notturna in D major K 239 — Academy of St Martin in the FieldsSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in D major K 136 — English Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Cassation in D major K 100 — Orpheus Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Cassation in D major K 62 — Mozarteum Orchestra SalzburgSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Cassation” citeturn11search2
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Serenade” citeturn11search0
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Divertimento” citeturn11search1