Sibelius wrote his two Serenadtas Op. 69 in 1912. Upon receiving the scores, Breitkopf commissioned Hermann Gärtner to prepare arrangements for violin and piano. In order to spare the violin from having too many rests, the publisher asked Gärtner to transfer a few passages from the orchestral accompaniment to the solo part. In a letter to the publisher, the composer expressed his total satisfaction with the results: "Herr Gärtner’s arrangement is excellent. Herr Gärtner is worth his weight in gold - I sincerely envy him."
