Twenty-five years of 'Ensemble Obligat': reason enough to celebrate and honor an extraordinary chamber music formation. On its anniversary CD on GENUIN, Ensemble Obligat has expanded into a chamber orchestra with soloists to present Johannes Brahms' Serenade No. 1 and Louis Spohr's large Nonet in F major. These are two pieces that require a balance between soloistic leadership and overall sound, a quality that the ensemble embodies perfectly. Brahms' youthful work takes on a chamber-music-like sonority in this version. The nonet of the 'German Paganini,' who broke exciting new ground in his time, benefits from the ensemble's harmonious spirit.