Tim Benjamin

Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings

For a long time, I have wanted to write – pace Britten – a "serenade for tenor horn, and strings". Apart from the music-nerd humour, I happen to think that this is a very attractive combination of instruments, which offers the composer lots of beautiful possibilities. At last, thanks to a Summer 2018 strings project, my opportunity came, and resulted in Summer’s End.

Unlike Britten's work, this serenade is scored for a solo tenor horn, with strings accompanying. It is comprised of three movements:

1. Adagio, molto rubato; dark — Andantino; languid

2. Liberamente, cantabile

3. Presto assai, vivace

The music describes the memories of the preceding Summer from the perspective of the start of Autumn: somewhat nostalgic, but mainly full of happy memories of long, hot, care-free days, both languid and frenetic.