Intermecco |

ital. intermezzo, from lat. intermedins – located in the middle, intermediate

1) A play of intermediate, connecting meaning. In instr. music can play the role of a trio in three-part form (R. Schumann, scherzo from sonata for piano, op. 11, humoresque for piano, op. 20) or the middle part in a sonata cycle (R. Schumann, concerto for piano with orchestra).

In opera, I. can be both purely instrumental (Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride) and vocal-instr., choral (Prokofiev’s The Gambler).

Meet instr. I., performed between acts or scenes of the opera (“Country Honor” by Mascagni, “Aleko” by Rachmaninov, etc.). Wok-instr. the scene between the acts of the opera is usually called. sideshow.

2) Independent. characteristic instr. play. The founder of this variety of I. is R. Schumann (6 I. for fp. op. 4, 1832). I. for fp. also created by I. Brahms, A. K. Lyadov, Vas. S. Kalinnikov, for orchestra. – M. P. Mussorgsky.

E. A. Mnatsakanova