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Rehearsal and Performance Guide:
Elgar’s Serenade for Strings
By Mark Laycock
Music by English composers occupies a central position
in the repertoire for young performers: works by Vaughan
Williams, Holst, Fletcher, and Britten serve as vital touchstones
and often provide the first substantial artistic exploration for
developing players. One of the most preeminent of these is
Edward Elgar (1857–1934), whose Serenade for Strings in
E minor, op. 20, offers a wealth of expressive and technical
challenges, yet remains accessible to many student ensembles.
Origins of the Serenade for Strings
The creation of the Serenade for Strings (1892) spans a
significant period in the life of the emerging composer. Many
historians cite a link to a three-movement suite for strings
dating from 1888 (now lost), the year in which he became
engaged to his former piano pupil Alice; marriage and the birth
of their daughter Carice followed in 1889 and 1890, respectively
(Grimley and Rushton 2004, xii). In 1892, Elgar conducted
the premiere performance of the Serenade with the Worcester
Ladies’ Orchestral Class (McVeagh 2007, 15). London Publisher
Novello refused the Serenade, acknowledging its quality but
questioning public demand for the genre; the German firm
Breitkopf & Härtel became the distributor (Moore 1984, 160).
Elgar credited Alice with assistance in crafting some of the
melodies (Anderson 1993, 371). Elgar conducted the Serenade
in an August 1933 recording session; together with the Elegy,
recorded the same day, it became the final work so preserved
(Kennedy 2004, 197).
The Work as a Whole
Comprising three movements, the Serenade is cyclical in
structure: thematic material from the first movement later
serves as the second half of the finale. Elgar’s gesture was
likely inspired by similar restatements in the esteemed string
serenades of his predecessors Tchaikovsky and Dvorak. The
first two movements of Elgar’s Serenade bear the greatest
weight in terms of duration and dramatic substance, while the
finale emerges as a more succinct summation (see Table 1).
Though Elgar distinguishes the three movements with unique
expressive labels (Allegro piacevole, Larghetto, and Allegretto,
respectively), the given metronome indications fall within a
relatively narrow compass (dotted quarter note = 96, eighth
note = 80, and dotted quarter note = 92, respectively).
Consequently, contrast between movements relies to a great
extent on character and style, while care must be taken to
establish and preserve the subtle tempo relationships. In his
own recording, Elgar expanded considerably the range of
tempi by means of a slow, yet fluid, pace in the Larghetto
(eighth note = circa 58) (goodmanmusica 2013).
American String Teacher
Vol. 70, No. 1, February 2020, pp. 39­–48
DOI: 10.1177/0003131319889953
Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions
Copyright © 2020, American String Teachers Association
Serenade for Strings in “
E minor, op. 20, offers a wealth
of expressive and technical
challenges, yet remains
accessible to many student
ensembles.
”
In the simplest terms, the Serenade undertakes a journey
from E minor to E major. The opening movement features
both tonalities: the ternary structure corresponds with
modulation from the minor to the major mode, then back
again. The choice of C major for the Larghetto is indicative
of Elgar’s predilection for nineteenth-century techniques—
chords and keys related by a third were frequently employed
by Romantic composers. A similar relationship occurs
within the finale, in which G major gives way to E major.
Elgar’s harmonic language is rooted in the same style period.
Occasional chromaticism colors individual chords yet never
obscures the tonal center. Delayed resolutions and brief
tonicizations heighten the aspirational quality of the music:
while the tonal goal is never in question, Elgar often takes
the listener on a circuitous path to the eventual destination.
Elgar’s meticulous approach to the notation of dynamics
may have arisen from his extensive work with amateur
and student musicians; the vast majority of phrases in the
Serenade are subject to some degree of nuance. The overall
scope of volume is extensive, traversing a span of ppp to
ff; Elgar reserves these extreme dynamic indications for
moments of structural importance. Significantly, fortissimo
is employed only once in the entire Serenade: in the first
movement, it abets a culmination of dramatic tension prior to
the recapitulation of the primary material. The dynamic nadir
of the first movement distinguishes the final four measures,
bringing the Allegro piacevole to a tranquil close. In the
second movement, the lone tutti forte serves as the apex of
the second statement of the second subject (measure 58);
it occurs mid-measure and quickly subsides to piano. More
prolonged, the ppp passage in the Larghetto prepares, then
initiates, the restatement of the secondary material (rehearsal L)
with uniquely hushed intimacy. The dynamic extremes of the
finale are close in succession: the forte in measure 28 marks
the short-lived climax of the opening section, while ppp, just
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Table 1.  Structural Comparison of Movements.
I. Allegro piacevole II. Larghetto
Measures 137 79
Meter 6/8 2/4
Tempo Dotted quarter note = 96 Eighth note = 80
Key e/E/e C G/E
Form ABA ABCBA
Figure 1.  I: Mm. 1–6.
six measures later, serves as preparation for the reappearance
of the initial motive of the first movement.
Given its modest dimensions, the Serenade contains a
remarkable array of articulation markings. Elgar modifies
note attacks and durations with sforzando, rinforzando,
accent, circumflex, forte-piano, sforzando-piano, staccato,
tenuto, staccato-tenuto, and accent-tenuto. Moreover,
several of these markings—accent, circumflex, staccato,
tenuto, and sforzando-piano—are to be realized within a
slur. In determining the best technical approach to each
articulation, the primary consideration must be context:
the optimal execution to enhance the prevailing expressive
environment. Consequently, articulations in the Larghetto
may be rounded and lyrical to a greater extent than those in
the outer movements, where a more rapid attack and decay
corresponds with the livelier mood. Regardless, common
practice dictates that sforzando would require the greatest
intensity of all the markings employed in the piece.
I. Allegro Piacevole
In the first movement, Elgar modifies the Allegro marking
with piacevole (“agreeable, pleasant”), instilling a measure
40 | American String Teacher | February 2020
III. Allegretto
76
12/8, 6/8
Dotted quarter note = 92, dotted quarter note = 96
AB
of British reserve (and the composer’s trademark emotional
restraint) in what might otherwise be a typically bustling and
energetic opening. The lucid ternary form (ABA) comprises
two subjects: a sweeping theme in E minor heralded by a viola
ostinato (see Figure 1) and an expressive, yearning melody in
E major (see Figure 2).
The movement begins with violas in the low register, an
appropriately warm and dark timbre (see Figure 1). While
Elgar substitutes sforzando for an actual dynamic level, the
subsequent two-measure diminuendo suggests an opening
volume in the range of mezzo piano to mezzo forte; anything
louder would compromise the subtlety central to Elgar’s
musical language. The first pitch is notated staccato—
separated—but will lose the intensity of the sforzando if
played too short; instead, approach with a pointed attack.
The accent mark posited mid-diminuendo reveals its
subservient relationship to the earlier sforzando. In measure
5, another accent, within pianissimo, requires judicious
execution; a surge of left hand color with perhaps a slight
increase in bow speed is all that is required. The pianissimo
marking in the first violins should extend to the seconds as
well: this is how the parallel passage in the recapitulation is
notated.

Figure 2.  I: Mm. 46–53.
Figure 3.  I: Mm. 10–14.
Careful observation of the dynamics in the opening
phrases will underscore the horizontal development of the
music. The two statements are hardly identical: the second
crescendo escalates to a sforzando, requiring greater weight
and intensity. The subsequent violin pronouncement, now
marked piano, is interrupted by a bold metrical device: Elgar’s
surprising half-bar, featuring the viola ostinato, answered by
accents is all of the other parts (though without the expected
crescendo) (see Figure 3).
At rehearsal A (this and subsequent rehearsal letters refer
to the Breitkopf & Härtel edition), a related idea begins with
paired eighth notes. The dynamic contour in the first violins
could well apply to all of the upper strings: less intensity on
the second note reinforces the natural hierarchy of the meter.
Sequential repetition an octave higher will naturally result
Feature
in increased intensity. The tutti diminuendo in measure 22
must not deter the violas from renewed strength—accented
and mezzo forte—in the next bar. A final outburst, combining
both accent and sforzando in low register violins, requires
significant energy.
Rehearsal B, uniquely posited in the middle of measure 32,
marks the mid-bar return of the viola ostinato and heralds the
closing paragraph of the opening A section. Here, the printed
dynamics require adjustment. While the previous section
ended with a diminuendo from pianissimo, Elgar indicates
no new dynamic at B. However, additional volume—at least
mezzo piano—is required ahead of two diminuendos in the
subsequent measures.
Elgar distinguishes the exquisite B section by means
of several techniques, including modulation to E major,
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Figure 4.  I: Mm. 115–122.
Figure 5.  I: Mm. 130–131.
reduction in volume to pianissimo, and a shift to homophonic
texture (see Figure 2). Angular motion in the second violins
and pervasive syncopation in the violas make transparency a
challenge; placement in the upper half of the bow and poco
sul tasto should help maintain proper balance. The expressive
climate suggests a more rounded, sustained approach to
the staccato bass line. Vibrato will help preserve resonance
between pitches, while placement above the middle of the
bow will allow for greater bow speed without heaviness.
Balance is a concern at several points. At rehearsal D, violas
and cellos will need to impose a subito pianissimo, both
to match the volume of the other sections and to permit
projection of the melody in the first violins. Measure 70 recalls
42 | American String Teacher | February 2020
the texture at the start of the section, though without the
underpinning of the cellos and basses. With the melody carried
by a single violin, the second violins and violas, still syncopated
but now more thickly scored, must play with particular
delicacy. In bar 72, the crescendo in the accompanying voices
should be minimized in order to maintain balance with the
melody, which must preserve strength despite its descending
motion. Once the first violins enter (measure 74),
the intensification in the accompaniment may proceed
unhindered. At bar 78, the solo violin/tutti paradigm repeats.
The emotional surge of the coda requires meticulous
attention to dynamics, articulation, and balance (see Figure 4).
Despite the diminuendo gestures, the sequential accumulation
beginning in measure 116 should lead organically and
inexorably to forte; outside cellos, coming from piano in
bar 120, are called upon for particular resilience. The seven
measures of forte stand as the most protracted forceful passage
in the entire work. Despite yet another progressive descent,
potency must be maintained up until the notated diminuendo.
Projection of the inner voices, which focus largely on the
initial syncopation of the opening viola motive, will contribute
immeasurably to the vigor of these measures. A spectral
vestige of this climax, in the form of an accent within a tie, is
found in measure 131 (see Figure 5). Approaching pianissimo,
the gesture is best executed via a subtle combination of
quickened vibrato and increased bow speed.
II. Larghetto
The lyrical central movement, marked Larghetto, is cast in
palindromic form: ABCBA. A more nuanced approach to
dynamics and articulation will heighten contrast with the outer
movements. Accent, forte-piano, and sforzando gestures should
be warm and rounded; vibrato intensity is crucial in achieving
these fleeting splashes of color. Lengthened and tapered

Figure 6.  II: Mm. 1–10.
Figure 7.  II: Mm. 11–21.
phrase ends will further abet expression. Finally, slightly more
connection among staccato notes should aid in preserving the
overall character.
Elgar’s idiosyncratic combination of longing and pathos
is manifest almost immediately: the forte-piano in measure
2 must be realized without accent and with rapid, yet
nuanced, decay (see Figure 6). In contrast, the sforzando-
piano in the first violins may be initiated with slightly more
weight and intensity. The subsequent sequential extension is
marked by changes in volume and tempo; of the two, Elgar
specifically requests greater emphasis on the crescendo. In
measure 12, the violas execute a series of three accented
notes within a slur (see Figure 7). A combination of portato
and corresponding waves of vibrato should result in an ideal
balance between definition and legato.
Feature
The succeeding B section (rehearsal I) is decidedly
less volatile: accents and phrasal attenuations only
occasionally modify the prevailing dynamic level of
pianissimo (see Figure 7). Elgar denotes the melodic line with
the distinction “dolce”; an effective approach is to minimize
vibrato in the previous bar—the end of the A section—only
to add color to the G as it becomes the initial pitch of the
ensuing theme. Phrase shaping must remain within the
domain of the indicated dynamic level.
More overt Romanticism returns in the C section
(rehearsal K): nearly every measure is influenced by a
dynamic or articulation gesture (see Figure 8). The music
grows organically as an antiphonal dialogue in the upper
strings is developed sequentially; a late outburst in the second
violins (measure 40) quickly subsides. The consequent group
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Figure 8.  II. Mm. 31–41.
Figure 9.  II: Mm. 51–55.
builds to a more vivid climax, aided by the presence of the
cellos. While the tenuto marking is situated at both apexes
and indicated only for Violin I, a slight lengthening of the
first beat could be justifiable, particularly the second time.
The denouement is significant both for its extended length
and its more dramatic diminuendo (to ppp).
This hushed dynamic level, the softest in the Serenade,
persists into the return of the B section (rehearsal L);
transparency is a real challenge given the thick texture (see
Figure 9). Perhaps the most important voice in the first eight
measures is the bottom first violin part: the lower octave
of the melody should form the sturdy foundation over
which the upper voice is placed. The final two bars, a rare
homorhythmic passage, echo the close of the initial statement
of the B section (see Figure 10). While Elgar substitutes
44 | American String Teacher | February 2020
staccato for the previous tenuto, notes must be of sufficient
length to maintain melodic unity; strive for a balance between
separation and connection.
The brief reprise of the A section is much more subdued.
The sforzandos and forte-pianos have been reduced to
accents, while the molto crescendo has been tempered to
poco; the earlier stringendo is absent. Muted sonorities—in
all sections except basses—contribute a further element of
timbral restraint.
As the sole slow movement, the Larghetto is the best candidate
for rubato. Subtle variations in tempo, particularly stretched
phrase endings, may be appropriate if incorporated judiciously.
The structural importance of the cadence in measure 32, for
example, which serves as the transition to the C section, might

Figure 10.  II: Mm. 66–67.
be underscored if lengthened and tapered (see Figure 8). Eight
measures later, a slight prolongation would permit a more
organic diminuendo from forte to pianissimo in the second
violins while setting up the varied repetition of the paragraph.
III. Allegretto
While the finale (an AB—binary—form) is arguably the least
complex movement of the Serenade, Elgar’s craft is still clearly
Figure 11.  III: Mm. 1–5.
Feature
evident. The A section—the G major half of the Allegretto—is
in ternary form: aba (see Figure 11). The B section (rehearsal P)
begins with a near-verbatim restatement of the first
movement passage that linked the primary and secondary
segments. The E major section, however, is reworked with
greater freedom. The movement’s climactic gesture: a pair
of forte, tutti chords ascribed with circumflex accents
(see Figure 12). The coda (rehearsal Q) combines the
opening viola motive with a legato four-note figure built on
a descending fourth (see Figure 13).
Dynamic shading is particularly crucial in the opening
bars (see Figure 11). The initial piano is reduced to
pianissimo, while a subsequent diminuendo requires ever
more transparency. Note the terraced effect in the cellos
as piano becomes pianissimo in the second measure. The
violas introduce the primary subject in bar 4. Throughout
this first section of the miniature ternary form, phrasal
dynamics should remain within the context of piano-
pianissimo; the restatement at rehearsal O, with its
increased strength, will permit more aggressive swells
(see Figure 14).
At rehearsal N, the upper strings are the subservient voices;
cellos and basses must lead—in terms of both volume and
color. Elgar’s addition of the word subito to each forte-piano
suggests a somewhat more abrupt change of volume. As the
sequence develops, the crescendo occurs earlier, beginning
with the note tied over the bar line. In joining the low strings
on the melody in measure 19, the violas must increase their
intensity considerably. At the transition to rehearsal O,
the poco ritardando persists through the crescendo on the
fourth beat; delay the a tempo until the ensuing downbeat
(see Figure 13).
The increased dynamic activity at rehearsal O requires close
scrutiny of notated effects. The basses, whose last volume
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Figure 12.  III: Mm. 52–59.
Figure 13.  III: Mm. 60–67.
indication was forte-piano in bar 20, should begin mezzo forte
in order to match the prevailing dynamic. Players should also
be aware of the contrary expressive gesture in measure 24:
as the second violins descend in pitch and volume, the first
violins build in strength. In measure 28, the circumflex on
the second beat applies only to the lower strings; the violins
may actually wish to reduce volume here prior to building a
new phrase through the remainder of the bar. As the section
concludes, two gestures require sensitivity and nuance.
In measure 32, the upper string accent is situated within the
slur and pianissimo, while two bars later the
second beat circumflex emerges from the same dynamic
(see Figure 15). Finally, the accented violin downbeat in
measure 36 should be broad and warmed with vibrato; at the
same time, violas must sing their top D without undue weight.
46 | American String Teacher | February 2020
Elgar marks the reprise of the first movement opening
material Come prima; consequently, the pace will quicken
slightly (dotted quarter note = 96) compared with the first
half of the finale (dotted quarter note = 92). One possible
approach is to facilitate the transition by means of a subtle
broadening in measure 36. From bar 42, Elgar brilliantly
encapsulates the evolution of the same material in the
first movement. As before, the section begins in a spirit of
placid tranquility: a simple espressivo marks an otherwise
unperturbed melodic line. However, progressively more
turbulent dynamic shifts recall the developmental stage of
the subject (cf. rehearsal D in the first movement). Still, the
climactic build to measure 58—marked forte—is expressly
subordinate to the fortissimo climax in the parallel passage in
the opening movement (see Figure 12).

Figure 14.  III: Mm. 21–25.
Figure 15.  III: Mm. 31–36.
A significant challenge in the coda (rehearsal Q) is pacing
and balancing Elgar’s direction of sempre diminuendo
al fine, all while maintaining equanimity between the
simultaneous lyrical and rhythmic voices (see Figure 13).
The bass pedal tone fades as well, eventually reduced in
measure 68 to a solo player. The ascending syncopated
line in the cello and viola should be continuous in weight
and volume; the transition between sections must be
as seamless as possible. Elgar nullifies the beat through
the imposition of ties, thus demanding utmost rhythmic
accuracy through precise subdivision. If needed, the
passage may be rehearsed without the ties, then as a divisi
combination of tied and untied rhythm. (A misprint in the
score omits the tie on the viola G between measures 70 and
Feature
71; the tie is present in the viola part.) The closing three
chords, marked tenuto and reiterating the same harmony,
should be separated slightly.
Conclusion
Elgar’s Serenade for Strings stands as an exquisite gem crafted
by a composer who had recently reached artistic maturity;
it offers a rewarding and beneficial exploration for musicians
prepared for its challenges. Its position in the canon is of
great value to the discerning orchestra director: a substantive
miniature masterwork whose technical framework, well within
reach of moderately advanced orchestras, should permit
students to explore fully its expressive potential.
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 FE AT U R E

With meticulous attention to the myriad details on the printed McVeagh, Diana. 2007. Elgar the Music Maker. Rochester:
page, together with interpretive imagination to go beyond the Boydell Press.
printed text, this timeless work will gratify both performer and Moore, Jerrold Northrop. 1984. Edward Elgar: A Creative Life.
listener alike. New York: Oxford University Press.

ORCID iD Mark Laycock (mark.laycock@wichita.edu) is a

Mark Laycock https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4310-952X
References
Anderson, Robert. 1993. Elgar. New York: Schirmer Books.
goodmanmusica. 2013. “Elgar Conducts Elgar: Serenade for
Strings, op. 20.” YouTube, March 2. www.youtube.com/
watch?v=wH5xmqO-P1w.
Grimley, Daniel, and Julian, Rushton, eds. 2004. The Cambridge
Companion to Elgar. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Kennedy, Michael. 2004. The Life of Elgar. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
professor of music at Wichita State University,
where he holds the Ann Walenta Faculty of
Distinction Endowed Professorship. He serves as
director of orchestras and coordinator of strings.
He is a member of the board of directors of the
Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic;
he is chair of orchestra activities. His work as guest
conductor, clinician, or adjudicator spans thirty-four
states. Appearances in the current season include
the Bangkok International String Festival, the all-state orchestras of
Florida and Washington, educational sessions at the Conn-Selmer
Institute and The Ohio State University String Teacher Workshop, and
adjudication in California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, and Oregon.

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