Cassation (Music)

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Cassation is a suite of 18th Century short musical works, usually played outside, and almost always beginning with a march. Haydn, Mozart and Dittersdorf all wrote this minor form, which had up to seven movements. Fascinating, though, is the derivation of the name. The only link is the Court of Cassation, so some feel that the march signalled the end of a court session and some marching outside. Others say it came from the German "gausse," meaning alley. Others take the word which implies broken pieces, since each one is so short.