Notturno. Andante sostenuto

The impressionistic gleaming Serenade for orchestra is considered by many to be the greatest Swedish orchestral work. Stenhammar probably started to plan it in 1906-1907 when visiting Italy. The first performance was not a success. The original second movement, called Reverenza, was discarded. The original versions of the outer movements have disappeared. In 1920 the new five-movement version was played by the Gothenburg SO under the direction of its principal conductor - the composer himself. In this version the Reverenza movement is added in its original place.