Album

Funky as it was, you can retire the old Kertesz recording of Dvorák's Serenades. Elegant as it was, you can retire the old Marriner, and virtuostic as it was, you can retire the old Orpheus, too. Because as great as they all were, this 2001 recording by Myung-Whun Chung and the Vienna Philharmonic is simply the greatest recording of these two eternally delightful works ever recorded. Part of the reason—maybe the largest part—is the magnificent playing. In the Serenade for winds, the oboes are sweetly plangent, the clarinets are tenderly dulcet, the bassoons are suavely elegant, the double bassoon is gracefully gawky, the horns are romantically rousing, and in its solo in the sensual Andante con moto nocturne, the double bass is as sexy as a double bass can be. In the Serenade for strings, the strings of the Vienna Philharmonic play with incredible precision, unbelievable passion, and unending beauty of tone; in other words, like the string section of the world's greatest orchestra. But some of the reason is the exquisitely tactful conducting. Chung molds each of the movements of the Serenade for strings into a heartwarming and soul-satisfying whole. Better yet, he lets the Vienna's wind players have their way in their serenade, allowing them the freedom to be themselves in the context of his genial direction. And a small part of the reason is Deutsche Grammophon's superb sound: real and lifelike and right in your living room.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer Serenade for Strings in E, Op.22 Work 27:04 Myung-Whun Chung Conductor, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Moderato	4:26			$0.99
2	2.Tempo di valse	6:40			$0.99
3	3.Scherzo: Vivace	5:19			$0.99
4	4.Larghetto	4:55			$0.99
5	5.Finale: Allegro vivace	5:44			$0.99
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer Serenade for Winds, Cello, and Contrabass, B.77, Op.44 Work 23:04 Myung-Whun Chung Conductor, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
6	1.Moderato quasi marcia	4:03			$0.99
7	2.Minuetto	5:28			$0.99
8	3.Andante con moto	7:51			$1.49
9	4.Finale: Allegro molto	5:42			$0.99