Serenata of London is a first-class chamber group offering refined, sensitive string playing, with just the right degree of warmth in the more romantic pieces, and plenty of spontaneity too. The opening Suite champetre by Sibelius is more ambivalent in character than one might suspect from the title and Barry Wilde characterizes the bittersweet central ''Melodie elegiaque'' quite subtly. The programme is most happily arranged, with the same composer's gentle Canzonetta setting a mood which is echoed and developed by the very Russian nostalgia of Tchaikovsky's lovely Elegy, one of his masterly short works which is too little known. That mood is immediately lightened by the two charming Dvorak Waltzes which follow- they are handled with pleasing delicacy, while the Nocturne, with its restrained, rather dark opening develops a nicely controlled ardour
The Elgar Sospiri is very touching and all the Grieg pieces are endearing in their fresh simplicity (''The first meeting'', Op. 53 No. 2 is particularly lovely), while the ''Peasant dance'' (from the second of the Nordic Melodies) livens up the proceedings in a compilation that is primarily reflective. This disc represents excellent value and the programme is well suited to a dark, cold winter evening, for most of the music here comes from the northern hemisphere. First-rate recording throughout, bright but with plenty of ambience. An issue that is well worth its modest price.'