5 movements:
I Prelude
II Arietta
III Toccata
IV Fantasy
V Epilogue
Clefs
Treble, bass
Meters
4/4, 5/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/8, 5/8, 6/8, 3/8, 9/8, 6/4
Key signatures
None
Range
Horn 1: a - b2
Horn 2: d - e2
Horn 3: g# - ab2
Horn 4: A - e2
Creator's Comments
Performance Notes
American composer Ulysses Simpson Kay Jr. (1917-1995) wrote the Serenade no.4 for Ken Nishi, and was premiered at the University of Illinois by Thomas Holden, Kathryn Dieterich, Jan bach and Richard Eli.
The first movement is characterized by successive, bell-like entries, chromatic duplet and triplet figures, and a theme based on minor seventh in the first horn. The accompaniment figure in the 2nd movement is again chromatic, with solo lines distributed among the first three players. Movement 3 is more challenging ensemble-wise, with interlocking parts, duplets (in 6/8), and relatively quick chromatic passages. The fantasy is a slow adagio, again based on chromaticism, and some more advanced rhythmic figures. The epilogue brings back ideas from the 1st movement, ending in a quiet, dissonant chord.
More of a technically interesting exercise than a musically rewarding piece, this work has a similar presentational flaw as several others: a score in sounding pitch.