Anton Arensky Serenade Op. 30 No. 2 for Violin and String Orchestra

This arrangement sets the piano accompaniment of Arensky's Sérénade for string orchestra, so a pupil who has learned it as their ABRSM Grade 7 List C piece can perform it as a solo with their school or community orchestra. The solo part is Arensky's original, so everything prepared for the exam carries straight over.

The orchestra keeps the character of the piano writing rather than simply filling in harmony. Pizzicato chords in Violin 2, viola, cello and bass take the place of the piano's rolled chords and keep the light, almost guitar-like lilt of the waltz, while Violin 1 plays the little rising slurred figure arco. In both Meno mosso sections, the second of them in G minor, the violas carry the rising quaver arpeggio under the soloist's longer cantabile line. Then in the closing Allegro the roles swap: Violin 1 takes over the main tune from bar 73 while the soloist holds long trills high on the E string above it. Check the Violin 1 part from bar 73 to see that moment, and note the frequent quick changes between pizzicato and arco in every part. The ending brings everyone together, with the orchestra joining the soloist's pizzicato chords before a final arco chord.

The orchestra parts sit at around ABRSM Grade 5 to 6, an intermediate level in American terms, and the solo part is Grade 7. At about two and a half minutes the Sérénade is short enough to give a pupil a solo spot in a concert without taking over the programme, and it works well as an encore after a larger work.

Check the score and parts preview images above, then watch the complete score video below. They'll give you a clear picture of the engraving quality and overall difficulty before you buy.

Key Features

• Instrumentation: solo violin and string orchestra (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
• Difficulty: solo approximately ABRSM Grade 7 (List C1, violin syllabus from 2024); orchestra approximately ABRSM Grade 5 to 6 (intermediate)
• Duration: approximately 2.5 minutes
• Style focus: lyrical waltz phrasing and sustained trills for the soloist; pizzicato chords, quick pizzicato and arco changes, and a melodic moment for Violin 1 in the orchestra
• Format: PDF download, full score and all parts

Ideal for a school or youth string orchestra that wants to give a Grade 7 pupil a solo feature at a concert or prize-giving, and for community orchestras looking for a short solo piece for one of their own players. It also makes a gentle encore after a concerto or a larger orchestral work. No performance licence is needed, and you are welcome to record your performance.