Review: Dvořák – Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”) – Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Nathalie Stutzmann

Recently I reviewed the Czech Philharmonic’s newest recording of Dvořák‘s beloved 9th symphony (“From the New World”), an impressive performance by an orchestra that has this music in its blood, captured in stunning Pentatone sound. And that is one of some 250 readily available recordings, a list that includes classic recordings by Kubelik, Kertész, Mackerras, Szell, to name just four. Can Atlanta and its new Music Director really hope to compete in such an overly crowded market? 

The program opens with Dvorák’s “American” Suite in A Major. Written in the Spring of 1894 for piano, the composer orchestrated it a few years later, although it was not premiered until 1910, six years after Dvorák’s death. Readers can find multiple descriptions of this music that gently deride it as second-rate, but the authors of those comments might change their minds after hearing this charming and bucolic reading.

The Suite’s first movement’s opening melody is delightfully lyrical (Stutzmann really gets the strings to sing), followed by passages of nimble playfulness. The hushed playing in the fourth movement Andante is particularly impressive, as is the rambunctious energy of the final movement’s opening – listen to the lower strings digging into their line beginning at 0’23”. Stentorian brass generates a noble and high-minded Coda, until tittering flutes usher in a final burst of boisterousness.

The symphony features fast and malleable tempos, reminding me of the older generation’s approach to tempo. For instance, in the first movement, after a lovingly shaped Adagio, the Allegro really takes off, but Stutzmann then slows down for the second theme (with some unusual articulation) and again for the third theme, beautifully played by Christina Smith. And Stutzmann uses a significant amount of rubato throughout. The magnetism of the playing convinces me of her approach, but others may be less convinced. 

In the Czech/Pentatone release, Bychkov’s second movement tempo is quite fast, underscoring the music’s folk music connection. Stutzmann is slower, conjuring a lush accompaniment for Emily Brebach’s gorgeous English Horn solo. (Wind solos throughout the album are a consistent delight.) The Scherzo has a bracing, gutsy spirit, suggestive of the American frontier, followed by a final movement that again features quick, flexible tempos, Stutzmann drawing out rarely heard inner lines. 

While this reading does not match the precision and sophistication of the Czech performance, or Andris Nelsons’ Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra recording (BRSO), its charisma drew me in and kept me constantly engaged. Not a first recommendation then, but a performance all lovers of this symphony should hear. 

Nathalie Stutzmann conducts the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (image: © Rand Lines)

Stutzmann’s liner notes are gracious about the orchestra and the opportunity to become a conductor at this stage in her career. I take exception to her assertion, without offering any scholarly evidence, that the American roots of this music are all Czech, even writing that “From the New World” is not an acknowledgment of Dvorak’s time in America, but rather a subtle nod to a famous nightclub in Prague. Such assertions require more scholarly notes, even in a modest album booklet text.

Erato’s live recording (9 and 11 November 2023) is good, warm but closely miked to minimize audience noise. It does not match the excellence of the Pentatone or BRSO recordings mentioned above. Nevertheless, the excellence of these performances makes me anxious for more recordings from this partnership.

Recommended Comparisons (Symphony):

Nelsons | Bychkov | Kubelik | Kertész

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