Divertimento meaning

1. What does Divertimento mean in English?
2. What is Serenade or Divertimento?
3. What was the purpose of a divertimento?
4. When was Divertimento composed and under what circumstances?

What does Divertimento mean in English?

1 : an instrumental chamber work in several movements usually light in character.

What is Serenade or Divertimento?

A term frequently used in the 18th century, especially in Austria, for an instrumental composition written primarily for entertainment and hence in a rather light vein.

What was the purpose of a divertimento?

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.

When was Divertimento composed and under what circumstances?

The divertimento is a light musical form that dates back to the late 1600s but reached its zenith in the 18th-century. Typically composed for small chamber groups, divertimenti were intended to accompany social functions, such as parties and banquets, often held outdoors.