#ClassicsaDay #Divertimento Week 4

 The Classics a Day team decided to lighten up a little. Webster's Dictionary defines a divertimento as "an instrumental chamber work in several movements usually light in character." 

For October, the challenge is to post videos of divertimentos written by classical composers. 

I quickly discovered that every composer had a different idea of what "light in character" meant. The only thing any of these selections have in common is the title: divertimento. Here are my selections for the fourth week of the #ClassicsaDay challenge, #Divertimento.

10/21/24 Johann Georg Albrechtsberger: Divertimento in F major for violin, cello, and contrabass

In his day, he was a big name. Today, he's best remembered (if at all) as one of Ludwig van Beethoven's early composition teachers. Albrechtsberger was a cellist and colleague of Franz Joseph Haydn. His catalog includes two divertimenti for violin, cello, and double bass.  

10/22/24 Franz Schubert: Divertissement sur des motifs originaux français, D823 for piano four hands

Schubert wrote the first movement in 1826, and the remaining movements the next year. It wasn't published until 1888, long after Schubert's death.

 

10/23/24 Bertold Hummel: Divertimento for 4 Violins

Hummel was director of the Studio for New Music in Wurzburg for 25 years. He wrote several major works: 3 symphonies, an oratorio and some ballets. And several divertimenti. 

 

10/24/24 Ellen Taffe Zwilich: Divertimento for clarinet, flute, violin, and cello

Zwilich composed this work in 1983. it is her only composition in the genre.

 

10/25/24 Leonard Bernstein: Divertimento for Orchestra

Bernstein wrote his Divertimento in 1980. The work was composed for the centenary celebration of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.