What does "hipocondrie" mean as a kind of composition?
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There is a piece by the Bohemian Baroque composer, Jan Dismas Zelenka, called "Hipocondrie à 7 Concertanti in A major," ZWV 187. Attempts to find out what "Hipocondrie" means have run into nothing but articles on hypochondria. The piece is what we would call a concerto grosso, but Zelenka also wrote works called concerti. This one is a smaller work than the typical concerto grosso of the time.
At one time the word "hypochondria" had a broader meaning of melancholy or depression. This piece has several dark sections and unexpectedly takes a gloomy turn close to the end. Perhaps that's the reason for the name? Did any other composers use "hipocondrie" for a kind of composition?
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