played by The BBC Orchestra (Section B)
Leader, Paul Beard
Conducted by Clarence Raybould
Up to a few years ago Dvorak's ' New World ' Symphony enjoyed a popularity equalled only by Schubert's ' Unfinished ' and Beethoven's Fifth. There is no denying the fact that this work was featured in far too many orchestral programmes, with the result that conductors and players got thoroughly tired of it. Today the other extreme has been reached, and now we rarely hear a public performance of this work.
In four movements, it is a masterpiece of symphonic writing, clear and yet imaginative in construction.