Serenade for Strings in E Major

The Serenade for Strings was written in 1875, just as Dvořák’s career was beginning to gather momentum. Composed during a prolific period that saw the creation of his first volume of Moravian Dances and his Fifth Symphony, it reveals the growing sophistication of Dvořák’s writing—despite its accessibility. The “Moderato” opens the work, with the violins and violas gently exchanging intimate correspondence with the celli. The atmosphere then subtly changes with the sprightly “Tempo di Valse” while maintaining a seamless forward motion. By the time things come to a close with the “Finale: Allegro Vivace”, the Serenade has evolved into a bright and breezy dance that seems to bear echoes of Dvořák’s Czechoslovakian background. While the Serenade for Strings is about as easy on the ear as anything in Dvořák’s output, elements like the refined use of modulations and dynamic shifts reveal the composer’s rapidly evolving skills.