The word originally meant a musical greeting--a romantic one or one honoring a person of rank--usually performed out of doors in the evening,
By the late 18th century, it came to mean a work for a small ensemble played during or after dinner.
Since then, the definition has broadened to include a wide variety of orchestral styles.
In this hour, serenades by Mozart, Brahms, Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Rodrigo and more.
FEATURED RECORDINGS
| Title | Group/Artist | Catalog # | UPC |
| Wiren: Sinfonietta, Serenade | Iceland Symphony Orchestra, Rumon Gamba | Chandos CHSA 5194 | 095115519424 |
| Mozart: Eine kleine Nachtmusik | I Musici | Philips 420 712-2 | 028942071223 |
| Mozart: Wind Serenades [for Serenade No. 12] | Chamber soloists of the Royal Philharmonic | Naim naimcd117 | 797537112626 |
| Brahms: Serenade No. 1 & No. 2 | London Symphony Orchestra, Istvan Kertesz | Decca 421 628-2 | 028942162822 |
| Serenade [for Tchaikovsky Serenade in C major] | Metamorphosen Berlin, Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt | Sony 88985422242 | 889854222420 |
| Dvorak; Slavonic Dances & String Serenade | Berlin Chamber Orchestra, Peter Wohlert | Laserlight 15 605 | 018111560528 |
| And the Bridge is Love [for Elgar Serenade] | English Chamber Orchestra, Julian Lloyd Webber | Naxos 8.573250 | 747313325078 |
| Rodrigo Edition [for Concierto Sesrenata for Harp and Orchestra] | Nancy Allen, harp; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Enrique Batiz | EMI Classics CZS 7 67435 2 | 077776743523 |
| Piston: Symphony No. 4, etc. [for Serenata for Orchestra] | New York Chamber Symphony of the 92nd Street Y, Gerard Schwarz | Naxos 8.559162 | 0636943916223 |
