Serenade in A Major

Stravinsky’s Serenade for solo piano, composed in 1925, followed his Piano Concerto and his Piano Sonata. These three neo-classical works were written for himself to perform, Stravinsky having realised that he earned more as a pianist than he received through royalties earned when other musicians performed his music. The Serenade was also written with gramophone recording in mind, each movement being of a length to fill one side of a 10-inch 78 rpm disc—that is, not much longer than three-and-a-half minutes. The work was named, Stravinsky explained, “in imitation of the Nachtmusik of the 18th century.” The opening “Hymne” sounds grandly ceremonial (and was cribbed some 35 years later by Poulenc for the beginning of his Gloria), while also suggesting a great pianistic engine revving up. The “Romanza” mixes luminescent harmonies with quirky basslines and melodies of rococo grace. The pianola-like energy of the “Rondoletto” is effectively complemented by a rather beautiful “Cadenza Finala”, which starts with a descending chord sequence that gradually proliferates into several lines that each evolve in character.