Cassation
Multi-movement entertainment composition of the 18th century.
What it means
The cassation is a multi-movement entertainment composition of the eighteenth century, related to the serenade and the divertimento. It consists of a sequence of short movements, often with a march at the beginning and the end and, in between, minuets, slow movements, and lively pieces. The scoring varies: winds, strings, or mixed groups, usually with one player to a part. The origin of the name is not securely established, and the boundary with the neighbouring genres was already blurred at the time of their creation.
Musical use
Such works were intended for occasions — celebrations, serenades, social gatherings, often outdoors. Their qualities follow from this: clear structure, catchy melody, manageable movement lengths, and a scoring that is portable. The opening and closing marches are explained by the practice of arriving and departing. Musically such works are not undemanding, but they aim at effect in the moment rather than at the cyclic coherence that the symphony and the string quartet strive for. With the end of court music-making, the genre largely disappears.
Performance practice
Treat the movements as a sequence of characters and shape them distinctly differently; sameness is the greatest danger. For outdoor performances, expect a lack of reverberation and choose somewhat calmer tempi and clearer articulation. Cast one player to a part, as the sources suggest, and watch for transparency. Settle which movements are played, since such works are sometimes transmitted with different movement orders. Keep the minuets dance-like and not too slow.
Bear in mind that such works were originally played without a conductor: settle who leads, and agree entries and endings visibly. The marches at the beginning and the end may quite well be taken for what they are — music for arriving and departing — and need no concert-style weight. Check the transmitted scoring, because wind parts in such works can often be cast alternatively. For a concert programme, a selection of movements is worthwhile if the complete sequence becomes too long; state the cut in the programme.