Page "Serenade" Paragraph 7

The most important and prevalent type of serenade in music history is a work for large instrumental ensemble in multiple movements, related to the divertimento, and mainly being composed in the Classical and Romantic periods, though a few examples exist from the 20th century.

Usually the character of the work is lighter than other multiple-movement works for large ensemble ( for example the symphony ), with tunefulness being more important than thematic development or dramatic intensity.

Most of these works are from Italy, Germany, Austria and Bohemia.