If you search for Barber‘s Serenade for Strings on YouTube, the search facility thinks you want to hear the Adagio. This is not a surprise, given the popularity of Barber’s most famous music – but there is indeed a Serenade for Strings, the first published material from the American composer.

Like the Adagio, it was originally written for string quartet but transcribes effortlessly for bigger forces – as here, with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Marin Alsop. Lasting just over 10 minutes, it is in three movements:

Published post no.2,274 – Sunday 18 August 2024