Tchaikowsky/ Dvorák: 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