In Italy, the word serenata makes you think about something instantly recognizable: a man below a window, usually at night, singing to the woman he loves. The image is quintessentially traditional, but the history of serenata is more complex than one may think.
In many parts of Italy, especially in central and southern regions, the serenata is a key ritual connected to marriage, preserved through time and still performed today with surprising vitality. At the same time, the term has a parallel history in classical music, where it once referred to elegant evening compositions written for noble patrons.
