Marjorie Ffrangcon-Davies
(soprano)
The Philharmonic Ensemble:
David Martin (violin)
Frederick Riddle (viola)
James Whitehead (violoncello)
John Francis (flute)
Marie Korchinska (harp)
Roussel composed the Serenade Op. 20 expressly for the Quintette Instrumentate de Paris, and dedicated it to the flautist, Rene le Roy. It dates from 1925, and had its first performance at a festival devoted to the works of Albert Roussel. It is not a serenade in the modem romantic sense of the word, for it follows the form of classical times when a serenade of cassation was another name for a suite of pieces, rather light in character, with no other object than to charm and entertain. (First performance in England)