The first four symphonies of Dvorak were rejected by himself as immature and were omitted from his list of acknowledged works. Hence, this symphony was known as No. 5 till 1955. Earlier, his sixth symphony was published as No.1, Seventh as No. 2, Fifth as No. 3, Eighth as No.4 and occasionally labelled as 'Pastoral'.
NEW WORLD : This descriptive title is illuminating for this symphony. First, it sticks in the memory. Secondly, it reveals ethnic negro melodies adapted by Dvorak.
In 1891, Dvorak received a telegram from a wealthy American woman, Mrs. Jeanette M. Thurber, asking him to accept the post of Director at the National Conservatory of Music in New York founded by her some years earlier. Dvorak refused at first as he was reluctant to leave his native Czechoslovakia but was tempted later by the very large salary. When Dvorak reached New York in the autumn of 1892, he was the centre of attention of all musical circles. Mrs. Thurber wanted that Dvorak , who had produced a truly national music based on the folk music of his own country, should show Americans how to do the same thing with their own folk music. A close friend of Dvorak, Henry.E. Krehbiel, wrote that Dvorak held it to be the duty of composers to reflect in their music the spirit of the folk music of the people to whom they belong, not by using those tunes badly as themes, but by studying their characteristics and composing in their vein. Dvorak strove hard in his New World Symphony to reproduce the fundamental characteristics of the Red Indian and Negro melodies which he found in America. Henry Wordsworth Longfellow's ' Song of Hiawatha' made a deep impression on Dvorak as his notebooks show. Mrs. Thurber would have liked to see him make an opera of it but this did not work out. However, a tune jotted down by Dvorak in December 1892 under the heading 'Legend' became the theme of the middle section of the slow Largo movement of the symphony.
Like many nineteenth century symphonies, the New World exemplifies the cyclic principle of connecting the various movements thematically. In the slow introduction to the first movement, there is presented on the horns an emphatic rhythmic figure consisting of a rising arpeggio followed by a falling one.
This recurs as a motto theme in all the later movements. It is answered by a springily rhythmic phrase on the clarinets and bassoons. The second subject is announced on flutes and oboes. Near the end of the exposition, the flute plays a third lyrical tune. This theme carries over into the development. In the recapitulation, the first subject is much condensed and the second is elaborated and there is a coda based on the motto. The repeat in the exposition of this movement has been honoured only by Istvan Kertesz,Leonard Bernstein and Carlo Maria Giulini.
The Largo is made up of two memorable tunes. The first is on the cor anglais and the second is on flute and oboe.
The Scherzo is in the traditional form with a trio.In its coda, the motto theme again occurs.
In the finale, the massive main theme is announced by the horns and later passed to the strings. The second theme is accompanied on the cellos beneath a long breathed tune on the clarinet. The cor anglais tune from the Largo is brought forward now on the flute. A phrase from the Scherzo now comes on the violins and the motto theme as usual on the horns. In the viola counterpoint to this passage, there is a resemblance to 'Yankee Doodle'. Some recapitulation of the finale's own material follows until the motto theme heralds the coda in a grand thematic apotheosis.It is a magnificent work.
The noteworthy readings of this symphony in order are: Istvan Kertesz/London Symphony; Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic; Carlo Maria Giulini/Chicago Symphony; Sir Georg Solti/Chicago Symphony; Arturo Toscanini/NBC Symphony; Jascha Horenstein/Wiener Symphony; Vaclav Talich/Czech Philharmonic; Rudolf Kempe/Royal Philharmonic; Zubin Mehta/Los Angeles Philharmonic; Rafael Kubelik/Berlin Philharmonic; Herbert Von Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic.
The Kertesz set is the definitive for complete symphonies.

tragic that the greatest music ever written on American soil wasn't written by an American but by a European from Czechoslovakia

That doesn't matter, contemporary Americans are not ethnical group of any kind. White American composers are all Europeans with often unknown orgin.

You can't divide Dvorak and American composers ethnically, because only thing you can be sure is their legal citizenship.

Agree in your remarks, and nice with a little survey of the history of the famous work and
the confusing earlier numbering of the symphonies, which likewise appear on may old
LP-covers and in books. I also agree as regards Kertesz being the best all-round conductor
in Dvorak; his recordings of the other orchestral works are still excellent.

A few of the "obligatory" supplementary recommendations of recordings also:
- Ancerl, Czech PO on aura cd (very good; more agitated than the supraphon Ancerl release)
- Rodzinsky, London PSO/westminster lp (unusually fast finale)

The symphony was premiered with great succes in Carnegie Hall in December 1893,
and the title "From the New World" is due to the composer himself, as stated in the record
notes to Kondrashins decca recording with WPO. They also say that the flute motif of
the slow movement could be inspired by Hiawatha´s funeral, and the Scherzo by Hiawatha´s
wedding. The record sleeve notes to the Rodzinski Westminster LP tells of the American
composer Edward MacDowell who criticized Dvorak for not discerning enough between
the Indian and the Black inspiration - that the Indian music should be included only. Therefore
M wrote his "Indian Suite" for orchestra, "to show Dvorak how it should have been done".
The American critic William Ritter criticized the symphony for being too Czech in 1907;
however he must have ignored certain elements, such as the flute solo in the first movement.

Other "Indian" inspiration in the music of the age can be found in works by Busoni,
for example - his "Indian Fantasy" for piano and orchestra (1913-14), and his "Indian
Diary" for solo piano (1915), as well as Delius,"Hiawatha" (1888).

I was speaking strictly in the sense of citizenship and not ethnicity. My usage of European was redundant. Suffice to say Aaron Copland, Bernstein, MacDowell couldn't fill Dvorak shoes.

Another is this:

Why is it "tragic"? It's a fact. The best in classical music is, and always has been, of European origin.

I dont see any mention of Harnoncourt's definitive reading.

I considered Dvorak's New World to be the best music across genres that was written in America. This is why it is tragic.

Could you specify a bit about the
advantages of the recommended Harnoncourt recording ?

I've heard Harnoncourt's, but is that a generally accepted view? I much prefer Sir Colin Davis's renditions of 6-9...

I dont think Colin Davis has a great interpretation of the piece... but then again he recorded it many times. Which orchestra are you referring to?

Well besides that a few books such as '1001 Classical Recording to hear before you die' agree with me, I find that this recording just captures everything remarkable about the symphony so perfectly. It glitters when it needs to and yet it can be violent in the huge surges at the start of movements for example. This is something Solti's recording lacks IMO, its all about the power and not enough scope is given to provide for the sweet pentatonic melodies.

I have the one with the LSO... hmm... perhaps I should give Harnoncourt another listen. I remember last time thinking that, while dramatic in places, it sounded kind of frayed at the edges. Are you referring to the concertgebouw recording 5/6 years ago?

The best version I've ever heard of the New World is by Kertesz, only not the LSO version. His Vienna Philharmonic version is phenomenal. I do believe it is out of print, though. I keep looking for it nevertheless on CD. My cassette version is kaput.

Aah ok I have only heard Davis's recording with RCO. This is paired with the 7th and 8th also and while these two are excellent (especially the 7th - possibly the best), I felt that the 9th was rather poor.

Im not sure if hes made more than one recording (Harnoncourt) but Ill get back to you on which one I mean :P