Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48

Ask any conductor or teacher for their all-time favorite works of standard string literature, and Tchaikovsky's "Serenade" will be among the top picks. Written in 1880, the four-movement piece shows Tchaikovsky at his most confident and economical. He cleverly uses shorter forms, such as the first movement labeled Pezzo in forma di Sonatina, to present his material without the hassle and stress of a development section. The second movement, Waltz, is perfectly proportioned and immediately charming. The scoring is tightly closed rather than open, which concentrates the sound in an unusually direct and powerful way. Tchaikovsky could surely write a waltz, and this one ranks among his best. The writing grabs attention from the opening chords and does not let us go until it has wrung out the last drops of intensity at the end. Marked with grade-appropriate bowings and fingerings, it includes detailed performance notes to help introduce your orchestra to a more challenging title.