Scherzo

This article is about the musical term. For the Doctor Who audio play, see Scherzo (audio drama). For the piano composition by Stravinsky, see Scherzo (Stravinsky).
"Badinerie" redirects here. For the Bach movement with this name, see Orchestral suites (Bach) § Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067.

A scherzo (/ˈskɛərtsoʊ/, UK also /ˈskɜːrt-/, Italian: [ˈskertso]; plural scherzos or scherzi), in western classical music, is a short composition – sometimes a movement from a larger work such as a symphony or a sonata. The precise definition has varied over the years, but scherzo often refers to a movement that replaces the minuet as the third movement in a four-movement work, such as a symphony, sonata, or string quartet.[1] The term can also refer to a fast-moving humorous composition that may or may not be part of a larger work.[2]

  1. ^ Britannica Online – scherzo
  2. ^ Russell, Tilden A. & Macdonald, Hugh (2001). "Scherzo". In Sadie, Stanley & Tyrrell, John (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2nd ed.). London: Macmillan Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56159-239-5.‎