Serenade Opus 142
by Cecile Chaminade
We are all familiar with one of the most well known pieces in the flutist's repertoire, Concertino by Cecile Chaminade.
Ms. Chaminade was an English composer and pianist of the Romantic era who wrote many chamber music pieces. I think it's amazing that a woman in that time could actually be a composer! There weren't many job opportunities available to women then. Besides the Concertino, she also wrote another lovely piece for the flute, Serenade Opus 142 for flute and piano.
Order the sheet music for the Serenade
This volume contains additional selection by Cecile Chaminade, Air de Ballet, Op. 30.
You don't find the technical fireworks in the Serenade that you do in the Concertino, but I find the Serenade very refreshing. I played the Concertino myself and have long felt that the technical section following the open melody winds aimlessly about for too long a time and becomes a bit boring. Yes, the main melody is beautiful, but in my opinion the center section is just too long.
The Concertino was used for the French Conservatory competition, so of course the technique was important for that purpose. But in contemporary settings, I feel that the center section could be abbreviated to a great extent, leaving the opening and closing melody section intact. The piece would be so much more enjoyable, I think. What do you think?
That may be why I find the Serenade so refreshingly light and airy, simple and beautiful. Not full of junk.
Yet, just recently I read a description of the piece as boring and repetitive. What! Well, to each his own. It also depends upon the context in which you are using a piece.
This piece would be nice for a wedding prelude, on a recital after a Baroque Sonata and before a heavy contemporary work.
It is also approachable by ambitious intermediate students who aren't quite ready for the full blown pieces from the French book.
What are your thoughts about this piece?
Do you like this piece? Maybe you don't! Tell me what you think about it either way. You don't have to be able to play the piece to give your opinion. You just have to love playing the flute!
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Serenade Opus 142 by Cecile Chaminade
Play Flute Today! - Level 1 (A Complete Guide to the Basics) Instructional book and accompaniment CD for flute. With instructional text, glossary of musical terms, fingering chart, illustrations and introductory text. 48 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.842043)
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