Scherzo
1) A movement, usually the third, of
sonatas, symphonies,
and quartets (rarely concertos),
which was introduced by Beethoven
to replace the minuet. Like it,
the scherzo is followed by a trio after which the
scherzo is repeated. Occasionally, the scheme of alternation
is extended to S T S T S. The distinguishing features of the scherzo
are rapid tempo in 3/4 meter, vigorous rhythm, a
certain abruptness of thought involving elements of surprise and whim,
and a kind of bustling humor that ranges from the playful to the sinister.
The demarcation between minuet and scherzo is
by no means always clear. Some late minuets of
Haydn's approximate the scherzo, as do minuets by Beethoven.
The great masters of the scherzo were Beethoven,
Schubert, and Bruckner.
Nationalist composers have frequently used it as a vehicle for the
introduction of national dances, with the
result that many composers have produced a moderately good scherzo in an
otherwise mediocre symphony.
2) Chopin and Brahms
employed the term "scherzo" for independent pieces
in which highly dramatic, somewhat gloomy sections (scherzo) alternate
with more lyrical ones (trio).
3) In the Baroque period "scherzo" was used for vocal
pieces in a lighter vein, as well as for instrumental pieces of a somewhat
fanciful character.