New major CD symphony cycles are always good news, especially when they hail from a conductor as experienced and as imaginative as José Serebrier. In a note appended to this first instalment of his Dvorák cycle, Serebrier confesses that he still approaches the New World Symphony with wonderment…and, I would add, ‘with warmth’, because that for me is the performance’s principal quality. A certain freedom of approach too, such as we encounter at 3'13" into the first movement, just beyond the arrival of the second subject, where Serebrier eases the pace in preparation for the next thematic stop, so that the ‘right’ tempo is already in place. The middle movements also work well, the Scherzo maybe marginally faster than was comfortable for the orchestra, but the high point of the performance is the finale, which Serebrier gauges virtually to perfection, tracing every episode with the utmost care and yet always relating it to a wider musical context, though I could have done with a little more ‘oomph’ from the horns at around 1'20". Elsewhere, individual instrumental detail makes a happy though never conspicuous impression and one leaves the symphony satisfied that its profound message has been wholesomely conveyed. As to ‘cyclic’ rivals, Rowicki and Kubelík (both analogue) are hard acts to follow but in the digital field Serebrier has made a pretty good start.

The lilting, lyrically inclined Czech Suite is again affectionately played, with comfortably blended textures and never a hint of pushing too hard in the faster movements. The programme opens and closes with the most famous Slavonic Dances, the Op 46 No 1 not quite in the Kubelík or Šejna class but still full of beans, the Op 72 No 2, a true Allegretto grazioso, expressive but without the least hint of sentimentality. So, all in all, a pleasing and auspicious start to what I hope will prove a recommendable new cycle. We could certainly do with one.