Divertimento (; from the Italian "to amuse") is a musical genre, with most of its examples from the 18th century. The mood of the is most often lighthearted (as a result of being played at social functions) and it is generally composed for a small Musical 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.
Genre
As a separate genre, it appears to have no specific form, although most of the
divertimenti of the second half of the 18th century go either back to a dance suite approach (derived from the 'ballet' type of theatrical
divertimento), or take the form of other
chamber music genres of their century (as a continuation of the merely instrumental theatrical
divertimento). There are many other terms which describe music similar to the
divertimento, including
serenade,
cassation,
notturno,
Nachtmusik; after about 1780, the
divertimento was the term most commonly applied to this light, "after-dinner" and often outdoor music.
Divertimenti have from one to nine movements, and there is at least one example with thirteen. The earliest publication to use the name "
divertimento" is by
Carlo Grossi in 1681 in Venice (
Il divertimento de' grandi: musiche da camera, ò per servizio di tavola) and the hint that the
divertimento is to accompany "table service" applies to later ages as well, since this light music was often used to accompany banquets and other social events.
Examples
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is known for having composed different types of
divertimenti, sometimes even taking the form of a small
symphony (or, more exactly:
sinfonia), for example, the
Salzburg Symphonies K. 136, K. 137 and K. 138. Even more unusual is his six movement
string trio, the Divertimento in E-flat, K. 563, which is a serious work belonging with his
and
String quintet. Other composers of
divertimenti include
Leopold Mozart,
Carl Stamitz,
Joseph Haydn and
Luigi Boccherini.
[[Igor Stravinsky]] also arranged a ''divertimento'' from his ballet to music of Tchaikovsky, ''Le baiser de la fée'', while Joaquín Rodrigo called his 1982 [[cello concerto]] a "Concierto como un divertimento" ("Concerto like a divertimento"). [[Robert Davine]] also composed a ''Divertimento for Flute, Clarinet, Bassoon and Accordion'' for chamber music ensemble.
See also
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For historic roots of the divertimento, and for divertimentos and divertissements as stage productions, see entr'acte and divertissement.
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Divertimento No. 1 (Mozart)
Further reading
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Article "Divertimento" in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980.
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The New Harvard Dictionary of Music, ed. Don Michael Randel. Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Press, 1986.
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The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians
