Almost nothing can be found about the composer Alexis Martin in the relevant reference works. It can be assumed that Martin was active in Paris as a horn player. Several of his compositions survive in print, among them about 20 duos for 2 horns, a fantaisie for horn and piano, a Sérénade espagnole op. 7 for 4 horns, and a fantaisie for horn and orchestra, which may possibly be identical to the one for horn and piano.
The present Grande Sérénade was published as op. 2 by the Parisian publisher Gaveaux and is dedicated to a Baron de Moltz. As his Sérénade espagnole for 4 horns is dated 1819, the present trio was accordingly published somewhat before 1819, and was still composed for natural horns.
