Serenades (Brahms)

The two Serenades, Op. 11 and 16, represented two of the earliest efforts by Johannes Brahms to write orchestral music. They both date from the 1850s when Brahms was residing in Detmold.

Serenade No. 1 in D, Op. 11

The first serenade was completed in 1857. At that time, Brahms was also working on his First Piano Concerto. Originally scored for wind and string octet and then expanded into a longer work for chamber nonet, the serenade was later adapted for orchestra.

It consists of six movements and lasts slightly less than forty minutes.

• Allegro molto (D major)
• Scherzo. Allegro non troppo (D minor) – Trio. Poco più moto (B flat major)
• Adagio non troppo (B flat major)
• Menuetto I (G major) – Menuetto II (G minor)
• Scherzo. Allegro (D major) – Trio
• Rondo. Allegro (D major)

Serenade No. 2 in A, Op. 16

The second serenade was written in 1859 and dedicated to Clara Schumann. It was revised in 1875. It is scored for a standard orchestra, but without violins. The five movements take approximately thirty minutes to perform.

• Allegro moderato (A major)
• Scherzo. Vivace (C major) – Trio (F major)
• Adagio non troppo (A minor)
• Quasi menuetto (D major) – Trio (F sharp minor)
• Rondo. Allegro (A major)

References

• Geiringer, Karl (1984). Brahms: His Life and Work - Third Enlarged Edition. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306802232.

External links

• Free scores by Serenade No. 1 in D, Op. 11 at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Free scores by Serenade No. 2 in A, Op. 16 at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)