Cassation is a minor form consisting of a suite of 18th Century short musical works, usually played outside ^[1], and almost always beginning with a march. These suites could have up to seven movements. Haydn, Mozart and Dittersdorf all wrote in this form.

The derivation of the name is uncertain but interesting. The only link is the Court of Cassation, so some feel that the march signaled the end of a court session and some marching outside. Others say it came from the German "gausse," meaning alley^[2]. Others take the word which implies broken pieces, since each one is so short.

Footnotes

References

"cassation". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved on 2008-05-28. 

Ulrich, Homer (1966). Chamber Music. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-066-17909-X. 

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