Piston - Serenata for Orchestra
February 5, 2022
The Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra presents Walter Piston’s Serenata for Orchestra, conducted by Robert G. Hasty.
00:29) Con allegrezza
03:52) Con sentimento
(09:42) Con spirito
A professor of music theory and composition at Harvard, Walter Piston’s influence on American music was wide-reaching. Piston excelled as a pedagogue and a composer, with notable pupils including Leonard Bernstein, Leroy Anderson, Elliott Carter, and Frederic Rzewski. Penning eight symphonies, Piston was no stranger to symphonic writing. His 1956 orchestral suite, Serenata, demonstrates his mastery of orchestration and his ability to develop melodic material between the sections. Written in three movements, this work resembles a symphonic miniature, remaining engaging throughout with masterful melodic gestures and dance-like rhythms.