ROBERT FUCHS (1847-1927): Serenades No. 1 in D, Op. 9 and No. 2 in C, Op. 14, Andante grazioso and Capriccio, Op. 63.

Description: These string serenades are as tuneful, light-hearted (with one extra, deeper adagio movement in No. 1) and generally life-enhancing as those by Dvorák, Suk, Elgar and Tchaikovsky of the same period. No. 1 dates from 1874 and No. 2 from 1876 while the Andante grazioso and Capriccio, a substantial 17-minute work comes from 1900 and is a degree more dark, with a pathos and autumnal quality suggesting some of his more famous students like Mahler and Sibelius. Cologne Chamber Orchestra; Christian Ludwig.