In his earliest compositions, Dvorak had been influenced by Wagner and Liszt, which led to structural unevenness and tempestuousness that seemed foreign to his musical voice. But in his mid-thirties he changed direction. Following the course charted by Smetana, he turned for inspiration to the rich fount of Czech music, and at the same time, returning to classical models, simplified and clarified his work. The Serenade for Strings, Op. 22, written in 1875, and Serenade No. 2, Op. 44, for winds, horns, and low strings (1878) come directly from this period. Two of Dvorak's most popular and most frequently recorded compositions, these splendid pieces show many of the qualities that typified all the composer's subsequent work, including elegance of form, intense harmony, rhythmic variety, and uninhibited emotionalism. Reproduced carefully from an early authoritative edition, this convenient volume will delight orchestra members, students, and concert goers.