Miklós Rósza revised the “Hungarian Serenade” op. 25 several times until it reached its final version. Originally scored for string orchestra, he expanded the instrumentation to include winds and percussion. Only the second movement, the Serenata, remained for strings only. The structure was also altered slightly at a later date: While the five-movement form was retained, the final movement changed from the original version. This was due to the fact that the composer and conductor Ernö Dohnányi, conductor of the premiere of an early version at the Budapest Opera House in 1932 (at which Richard Strauss was also present), had advised Rózsa to compose a danza instead of a march as the final movement, which Rózsa eventually did. The different movements (Marcia, Serenata, Scherzo, Notturno, Danza) each have their own character. The first movement begins with a bassoon solo, the Notturno is introduced by a clarinet melody.

The “Hungarian Serenade” is one of the works that, – as the title suggests – reveals a connection to Rózsa's native Hungary, although he had not lived there since his studies in Leipzig.


CD:
Gilad Kaerni (viola), Budapest Concert Orchestra, cond. Mariusz Smolij
CD Naxos 8.570925