(Leroy Anderson)
This song was written by Leroy Anderson for orchestra in Woodbury, Connecticut, in 1947 and premiered by Arthur Fiedler, who said it was his favourite Anderson number, and the Boston Pops Orchestra.
Said by Leroy Anderson that it “started with a fragment of melody” it gradually grew into the piece we know now. He chose the title as it sounded like a “Latin-American serenade”. Described as having “an infectious Latin rhythm throughout” although retaining its American style, the song is often played as a jazz number.
First recorded in 1949 by Leroy Anderson, with Mitchell Parish adding vocals to it in 1950, artists that have recorded the piece are Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole and George Shearing.
Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra recordings
MCA MCAD-9815-B (CD: The Leroy Anderson Collection)
Cologne Radio Orchestra recordings
Laser Light 15 248 (CD: Symphonic Pops/Blue Tango)
Conductor – Pinchas Steinberg
Eastman-Rochester Pops recordings
Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson)
Conductor – Frederick Fennell
Mercury SACD 475 6942 (CD: Frederick Fennell Conducts the Music of Leroy Anderson)
Conductor – Frederick Fennell
Sources:
- http://www.leroy-anderson.com/html/hearthemusic.htm
- http://www.answers.com/topic/serenata-for-orchestra?cat=entertainment
- http://www.pbs.org/sleighride/Video&Music/Compositions_Serenata.htm