Josef Suk's Serenade for Strings in E flat major, Op. 6, was composed in 1892. While Suk was studying under

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

at the

Prague Conservatory The Prague Conservatory () is a public music school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1808. Currently, the school offers four- or six-year courses, which can be compared to the level of a high school diploma in other countries. Graduates c ...

, Dvořák noticed a melancholy strain in much of Suk's music, and recommended he try writing some lighter and more cheerful music. Based on Dvořák's suggestion, Suk produced the ''Serenade for Strings''. Two movements were publicly conducted by Suk in late 1893 in

Tábor Tábor (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 34,000 inhabitants, making it the second most populated town in the region. The town was founded by the Hussites in 1420. The historic town centre is well pres ...

. The first complete performance was on 25 February 1895, at the Prague Conservatory, conducted by

Antonín Bennewitz Antonín Bennewitz (also Anton Bennewitz; 26 March 1833 – 29 May 1926) was a Bohemian violinist, conductor, and teacher. He was in a line of violinists that extended back to Giovanni Battista Viotti, and forward to Jan Kubelík and Wolfgang ...

, Suk's violin teacher at the Conservatory. The Serenade soon brought Suk considerable fame and Dvořák's longtime supporter,

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

, endorsed its publication.

Structure

The serenade comprises four

movements Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger c ...

: # ''Andante con moto'' # ''Allegro ma non troppo e grazioso'' # ''Adagio'' # ''Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo presto''

References

External links

* Compositions by Josef Suk Suk Compositions for string orchestra 1892 compositions Compositions in E-flat major {{classical-composition-stub