The Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra continues to do what it does best, which just happens to be the title of its latest recorded release. Illuminate sheds new light on three works, two of them for Romantic string orchestra and the third a mid-20th-century setting of French surrealist poetry.  

Bruch’s Serenade on Swedish Melodies and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence share a common enthusiasm for folksong, in the first case from Sweden, and the second, somewhat perversely given the title, from Russia. The Bruch is a charming affair, full of lyrical invention and with more than a tinge of Elgar about it.

The five movements – the first and last are the same perky march – are given a crisply detailed reading by ARCO under violinist and Co-Artistic Director Rachael Beesley. The graceful portamenti are a particular pleasure, since, like all ARCO performances, attention has been paid to period practice.

The Tchaikovsky – played by full string orchestra rather than in the more commonly heard version for sextet – has an attractive butter-smooth lilt...