By the Winter of 1878, Dvorák was enjoying a rapid rise in fame as a composer. A few years previously, he had submitted compositions to a panel of judges that included Brahms, and was awarded a prize; Brahms's enthusiasm for Dvorák's music proved to be very valuable in helping the Czech composer to become established. He also began a relationship with the publisher Simrock, inspiring him to create his Symphony #5, which was superior to any of his previous symphonic efforts and which would ultimately be the earliest of his symphonies to be published during his lifetime. Simrock commissioned a set of Slavonic Dances from Dvorák shortly thereafter, and the general increase in attention paid to his music encouraged him to compose at a breakneck pace. The Serenade in D minor required a mere three weeks to complete.
A "serenade" is a multi-movement work, usually for large ensemble, with a form that is not as predictable as it is in a traditional symphony. A composer might designate a composition as a serenade if he or she felt that the work was not dramatic enough to be considered a symphony – especially in the case of late 19th-century composers who were mindful of Beethoven's symphonic legacy. Brahms, for instance, wrote two early orchestral works which he labeled "serenades," even though they are both quite lengthy and one of them is for full orchestra. The term also evokes an association with the serenades of earlier composers, especially Mozart, whose string serenade Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is probably the most famous serenade in the literature. Great serenades for string orchestra include those by Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, and Elgar, whereas the wind serenade became less common in the Romantic period.
Dvorák's "Serenade for Winds" (as it is usually identified, in spite of the presence of a cello and a bass) appears to fit the four-movement plan of a traditional symphony, but the dramatic weight is different. In a symphony, the most powerful movements are usually the first and last, with the middle movements serving more as interludes. In this piece, the first movement has more of the character of an introduction, the second expands on the work's lyricism, and the third movement attracts the majority of the dramatic focus. The finale is upbeat and bears a strong folk influence, and it includes a reprise of the introductory material from the first movement, reinforcing the coherence of the entire work.