Sir Roger Norrington seems on this occasion to have entered more into the spirit of the Carnival Overture than the New World Symphony, which at times sounds oddly tame (not a word that I would normally associate with a Norrington performance). True, there are nice details in the Symphony, such as the woodwind lines at 3'26" into the first movement (and in the repeat a little later), which answer the lower strings. So often the violins take the lead, and in doing so obscure an important piece of musical dovetailing.

Both in the Symphony and, to a lesser extent, the Overture, Norrington heightens the drama of certain passages by shaping them with arching dynamics, something I’ve never heard anyone else do – at least not to anything like the same extent. The result is mannered, and so are one or two spots of exaggerated rubato in the finale. And yet even that wouldn’t have worried me had it not been for a generally low temperature, something that certainly doesn’t apply to the Overture, a memorable performance full of interesting detail (especially among contrapuntal lines) and which includes a chaste but affecting account of the tranquil middle section.

Turn to the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under Bertrand de Billy and the Symphony’s blood suddenly warms again, and that’s not just a reflection on Norrington’s much-vaunted downer on vibrato. De Billy is especially effective in the middle movements, the Largo sounding fluid and affectionate – and notably appreciative of inner string lines – and the Scherzo rugged and extrovert. I love the way he brings out the all-important clarinet at around 14 seconds in. The finale might not gel quite as it does under Kubelík (especially in Munich), An∂erl and Masur, but the denouement is memorably grand, the effect of the performance both moving and musically satisfying. Oehms matches the two different venues well, the Vienna Konzerthaus for the New World and the better-known Musikverein for Suk’s adorable four-movement Pohádka (“Fairy Tale”). Both enjoy a warm, fairly ambient recording and in Pohádka De Billy and his players unlock the work’s potent spirit of fantasy. Norrington’s performances were recorded at the Stuttgart Liederhalle, a drier acoustic though admirably clear and not lacking in warmth.

I couldn’t in all honesty say that either CD shifts my loyalty away from the versions already cited (plus at least a dozen others), but they’re both well worth hearing, ironically more for their fill-ups than for the versions of the New World. Oehms’ CD has an especially good booklet-note. For example, did you know that “New World” was the name of a part of Prague (near Hradčany Castle) famous for its nightlife? So, maybe a little in-joke on Dvořák’s part…but good to know!