Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 - Antonín Dvořák

Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22 by Antonín Dvořák

Dvořák completed this serenade in 1875 at the age of 34. At the time, Dvořák was working as the organist at St. Adalbert's Church Hall in Prague. The meagre salary from this position meant that Dvořák and his wife Anna had to live in a share lodging house with 5 other men. While Dvořák had begun to establish a reputation in Prague for his talent, he was eager to find an opportunity find a wider European audience.

In 1874, Dvořák applied for the Austrian State Prize ("Stipendium") for composition. This was a grant by the government of Austro-Hungarian Empire to provide financial support to composers in need throughout the Empire. The jury for the 1874 prize (which included the renowned composer Johannes Brahms) deemed Dvořák the clear winner, both for the quality of the work submitted as well as the sheer quantity (15 separate compositions including two symphonies, several overtures, and a song cycle).

The grant was awarded in February of 1875. The additional support provided by the grant would encourage Dvořák to diversify his output, with his Serenade for Strings Op. 22 being one such example. Correspondence from Dvořák at the time indicates he completed the serenade in only two weeks. The premiere performance was given in December of 1876 in Prague.

The work is comprised of five movements:
I. Moderato 00:00
II. Tempo di Valse 04:08
III. Scherzo: Vivace 10:22
IV. Larghetto 15:43
V. Finale: Allegro vivace 21:05