From 26 August – 10 September 2026, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and its Music Director, Manfred Honeck, will go on their 11th joint international tour. No less than 13 concerts will be given in some of the most prestigious music centres in Europe. Dvořák’s Ninth Symphony figures on the programme as well as Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances, both of which are on this latest Reference Recordings release in the by now famous Fresh! Series. It is my fortune to be able to whet music lovers' appetite. And not without reason.

The long and the short of it is simple: Of the many existing recordings of Dvořák's New World Symphony, there are only a few that can trigger our imagination as though we hear it for the first time. Honeck’s is one of them. His reading is not only brilliant; he also brings emotional substance.

As usual, the ideas are clearly set out in the liner notes, going into detail far beyond what one normally gets. Without in any way diminishing its intellectual quality, it reads like a menu, listing the ingredients, allowing the listener to hear how it unfolds. In doing so, Honeck invites the listener to participate actively, something not many conductors can or have the nerve to do.

In his interpretive search for the deeper meaning of the score, Honeck’s reading indeed goes far, seeking the limits in every movement, creating excitement where many didn’t think there was any. And I suspect that by including this symphony in his forthcoming European tour, he introduces also an element of bonding between the United States and Europe at a time when both risk drifting apart: A bohemian composer incorporating the black American spirit into melodies created by his Central European musical brain, whilst being on invitation in ‘the new world’, thus spanning, as it were, a spiritual bridge between the two continents.

The first movement starts from nothing; Honeck takes his time, letting the music flow leisurely before entering the heart of the matter, thereby building a degree of tension I had not felt so perceptibly before. It is spine-chilling, but without trying to instil melodramatic effects, other than well-judged use of dynamics. The orchestral response is phenomenal. Nothing falls by the side. The musical fabric remains intact, even in the most demanding passages.

Before listening to the second movement, I suggest reading Honeck's notes: It will lead to a better understanding of its sheer beauty, as well as why and how he goes ‘off script’. A ‘fusspot’ may whine, but in my book, such an interpretative liberty is what we need more of. It livens up a score, provided it’s done by someone with extensive musical insight and, yes, musi-culinary art! And what’s more, Honeck manages to successfully draw the listener into the hidden emotional feelings of a composer who longs for his homeland.

The third movement starts as highly spirited as possible, living up to the most temperamental explosion a ‘Molto Vivace’ indication can provide. It’s gripping, and it is almost unbelievable how an orchestral body of more than one hundred musicians manages to remain coherent. A string section, of which precision and perfectionist accentuation are its hallmarks, that can hardly be bettered, coupled with stormy brass, for which the PSO is so famous. The intermediate Trio part is of a remarkable dance-like character, filled to the brim with Bohemian motifs, affectionately developed in Honeck’s lucid approach.

But it is not until the final movement of The New World that Honeck takes the listener on Dvorak’s sweeping path of farewell to America and back to the composer’s beloved Bohemia. The musical power bursts out of its seams. The Allegro turns effortlessly into a tumultuous Presto. I have several though hardly played accounts of this popular symphony. The reason, as I realise now, must have been that it misses the breathtaking appeal which is here so abundantly on display: A mixture of optimism, realism and joy of anticipated homecoming, flowing through the sections of the orchestra, without wasting a note. Paying an absolute tribute to Dvořák’s last major work.

In my judgement, I must, in all objectivity, admit that Honeck is not the only one capable of setting down a thrilling account of this symphony. I recall, for instance, Istvan Kertesz’s reading on Decca more than half a century ago (still available in a remastered version). However, Honeck’s stands out for a hard-to-match combination of factors. Firstly, unlike many, he has a clearly stated vision, the details of which he explains extensively in his notes. Secondly, he has an orchestra at his disposal that surpasses many others in virtuosity, responsiveness, and ability to follow Honeck at every step and to the letter. Thirdly, and of no lesser importance, Honeck can count on the engineering by SoundMirror of Boston, which is, in my view, the best in the world.

The story doesn’t end here. The bonus is another reason to take a positive interest in this release. Reference Recording’s policy (and Honeck’s, I suppose) of accompanying a standard core masterwork with an American-sourced composition has broadened my view and sometimes with a distinct AHA! Effect. The Four Black American Dances are a case in point. Far from adventurously modern atonal stuff, it's FUN in the best sense of the word. Beyond positive expressions of social and religious elements, there is no hidden or double meaning. It’s an open-minded, ingeniously crafted, traditionally inspired, uplifting affair. And, by the way, I cannot think of any European orchestra able to ‘swing’ like it is here on display. It is infectious.

In the final analysis, if you cannot go to any of the concerts in the POS European tour, I recommend purchasing this SACD as a next best, near-real thing. A poor consolation? Maybe. But the advantage is that, unlike a concert, you can listen to it more than once! Count your blessings.

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France.

Copyright © 2026 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

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