Divertimento
tagStarted c. 1750Peak 1760–1795Last big hit c. 1800
Located in 1 route
Divertimento is light, entertaining multi-movement Classical music, often tuneful, outdoor-friendly, and less argumentative than the symphony or sonata. It mixes dances, rondos, and sonata-like movements in a manner meant to charm without sounding trivial.
History
The genre flourished in the later eighteenth century for courtly, domestic, and ceremonial use, with flexible instrumentation and social function. Mozart and Haydn both wrote divertimenti, serenades, and related entertainment pieces that show how polished and sophisticated “light” Classical music could be when handled by major masters.
Defining artists
Essential listening
- Divertimento in D major K 136 — Academy of St Martin in the FieldsSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in B-flat major K 137 — Camerata SalzburgSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in F major K 138 — Orpheus Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in D major K 251 — English Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in E-flat major K 113 — Vienna Chamber OrchestraSpotifyYouTube
- Divertimento in F major K 247 — I MusiciSpotifyYouTube
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Divertimento” citeturn11search1
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Western music: Sonata form” citeturn0search3