Tim Benjamin

composer, writer, storyteller

Summer's End

2018

Serenade for Tenor Horn and Strings

For a long time, I have wanted to write – pace Britten – a "serenade for tenor horn, and strings". Apart from the music-nerd humour, I happen to think that this is a very attractive combination of instruments, which offers the composer lots of beautiful possibilities. At last, thanks to a Summer 2018 strings project, my opportunity came, and resulted in Summer’s End.

Unlike Britten's work, this serenade is scored for a solo tenor horn, with strings accompanying. It is comprised of three movements:

  1. Adagio, molto rubato; dark — Andantino; languid

  2. Liberamente, cantabile

  3. Presto assai, vivace

The music describes the memories of the preceding Summer from the perspective of the start of Autumn: somewhat nostalgic, but mainly full of happy memories of long, hot, care-free days, both languid and frenetic.

Duration

15 minutes

Instrumentation

Tenor horn, strings

First performance

Lily Morgan (tenor horn) and a one-off string orchestra drawn from keen amateurs in West Yorkshire, "Todmorden Summer Orchestra". 1st September, 2018, St Mary's Church, Todmorden.

Request a score / parts

If you would like to see a score and/or require a set of parts for this music, please contact me.