Tchaikowsky/ Dvořák: Streicherserenaden, String Serenades/ Serenades pour cordes

There is little innocence in Herbert von Karajan's account of the piece, which emphasizes suavity and smoothness and can occasionally sound contrived rather than spontaneous. But there's lots of passion in the Larghetto, and the sheer beauty of the Berliners' playing is ravishing. The recording, an early digital effort from DG released in 1981, offers good ambience and detail but is rather light in tonal weight. --Ted Libbey