#Classicsaday #Strings Week 1
By Ralph Graves
There’s a middle ground between large orchestras and chamber groups. That space is occupied by string orchestras. They have the full sound of an orchestra, but the uniform blend of a string quartet. The #ClassicsaDay challenge for this month is to post examples of string orchestra works. No brass, winds, or percussion allowed!
This type of ensemble originated in the early 1800s. For my posts, I’ve tried to alternate between Romantic and Modern Era composers. Here are my posts for the first week of #Strings.
11/03/24 Ethel Smyth: Suite in E major for String Orchestra, Op. 1a
Smyth made this arrangement from her String Quintet in E major, Op. 1. It was first published in 1884.
11/05/24 Jean Sibelius Six Impromptus for Strings Op. 5
These impromptus were early piano compositions. Sibelius extensively reworked them for the string orchestra and even added new material.
11/06/24 Edvard Grieg: Holberg Suite, Op. 40
This is one of Grieg’s most popular works. He wrote it in 1884 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Scandinavian playwright Ludvig Holberg’s birth.
11/07/24 Alexander Glazunov: Theme and Variations for String Orchestra, Op. 97
This work exists in two versions, both equally popular. It’s available as a string orchestra work and as a string quartet.
11/08/24 Antonin Dvorak: Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 22
Dvorak completed this work in 1875. It premiered the following year in Prague. The Serenade almost immediately entered the repertoire and remains one of Dvorak’s most-played works today.
