# String Serenades



## Aramis

Yes indeed.

What are your favourite string serenades, what do you think about the genre in general and stuff.

I'm thinking about writing one myself so I want to dig the genre.

So far my favourites are:

1. Tchaikovsky's. I used to dislike his "mozartian" works but now I find a lot of pleasure in listening to them. His serenade has more romantic moments too, it's very well balanced and beautiful.

2. Mieczysław Karłowicz's. One of his early works from student days but it's highly enjoyable work with solid portions of charming melodies and characteristic shade of melancholy.






3. Dvorak's. The waltz is especially great - love from first listen.

Those by Mozart are great as well, though overexposed tune from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik spoils the enjoyment a little bit. But you can always skip this movement.


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## Delicious Manager

I love string serenades - they always manage to evoke a particular atmosphere for me. If you like the Dvořák Serenade, you won't be able to help falling in love with the one by his son-in-law Josef Suk






The Elgar Serenade is one of his earliest works to be played regularly (1889). The slow movement is lovely.






The Serenade by the Swedish composer Dag Wirén is one of my favourites.






... and that by Vassily Kallinnikov is seldom heard.


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## haydnfan

Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky's string serenades.


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## mmsbls

My favorites have all been mentioned, but they are (in order)

1) Dvorak. Every movement to me is a joyous gem. I truly love this piece. It puts me in a great mood.

2) Tchaikovsky. I've always felt that his serenade does not sound Russian to me. When I hear it on the radio, I have trouble identifying it as Tchaikovsky's for this reason.

3) Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. It is, of course, played quite often, but that does not bother me. I have trouble not swaying to the sweet melodies. Like Dvorak's, this piece always picks me up. 

4) Elgar

5) Suk

I had not heard the Wiren serenade. Lovely second movement.


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## Rasa

Tchaikovsky's is absoluetly stunning.


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## haydnfan

I absolutely must order Suk's String Serenade now, in fact I'll do that right now!!


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## Sid James

I love lighter music, especially the serenade realm. Light does not necessarily mean lightweight. The earlier guys mentioned above were all masters of this part of the classical spectrum. The brightness and kind of high definition clarity of these great work give me a boost in themselves, let alone the other aspects of these masterworks. A high-school teacher of mine always said that comedies were just as hard (if not harder) to put down for playrites as say dramas. The audience really has to let their guard down and get emotionally involved in lighter music, just as with the more darkish music, but in a different way.

One I'd add is c.20th American composer *George Antheil's **Serenade for string orchestra No. 1, W. 189*. The two outer movements have a Prokofiev like bounciness and rhythmic vibe, while the slow movement at the core of the work comes across as a kind of leaner and sparer version (though no less emotional) of something pastoral by Vaughan-Williams. It is available at budget price on Naxos coupled with some of his other works, which are quite interesting and well crafted, on the whole. His overall style is varied and kind of hard to put down in words, you just have to hear it for yourself. The Philadelphia Soloists Ensemble is expertly led by Daniel Spalding...


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## altiste

Here's my own contribution to the genre: Serenade for Strings


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## Polednice

Dvorak's String Serenade is one of my absolute favourite pieces, and one of the first pieces of classical music I ever listened to (fell in love with it immediately, especially the second movement, which now carries a huge amount of nostalgia for me) - love his Wind Serenade too 

I still haven't got into Tchaikovsky's that well, but I think that's because I haven't found a recording I like yet that does it justice.

Also, although it doesn't bear the title of String Serenade, one piece that I adore for string orchestra is Grieg's Holberg Suite, and I see no reason why it shouldn't be considered along with all these others.






Can't be bothered with Elgar's


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## Aramis

Polednice said:


> I still haven't got into Tchaikovsky's that well, but I think that's because I haven't found a recording I like yet that does it justice.


Karajan's, paired with 5th?


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## haydnfan

The cd set I picked up for Suk's String Serenade also has Elgar's which I also haven't heard. Tchaikovsky is still my favorite, but all of these string serenades are wonderful!


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## Aramis

I listened to Elgar's for the first time today, really wonderful and close to what I imagine when I hear the word "serenade" - Tchaikovsky's work is surely greater musical work but Elgar's serenade is more serenade, more lyrical and subtle.


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## mtmailey

i like the serenades of DVORAK,MOZART,TCHAIKOVSKY,ELGAR, BEETHOVEN string trio ,i have submitted my string serenade this year to the ACO IN new york


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## Klavierspieler

Tschaikowsky, Elgar, and Dvorak for me.


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## Nix

Tchaikovsky's... My favorite piece by him, and if he had lived long enough to start hating the 6th symphony, he'd probably agree (as I believe he claimed it his best piece prior to writing the 6th).


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## goldie08

The very first video I created in youtube was to place the Serenade by J. Kocian, violin and piano, as it is beautifully performed.






I had difficulty identifying the music when I first heard it and contacted several qualified musicians but no one seemed to know. What I found curious was that the rhythm was very similar to one of Dvorak's quartet movements.

This is violin playing at its best!


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