*** 1/2 DVORAK: Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”; “Othello,” concert overture,

Comparisons are irrelevant when two of the world’s great orchestras--some would say the two greatest--reinvestigate Dvorak’s ubiquitous “New World” Symphony. It is enough to say that, with ideal transparency, perfect balances and splendid directness, these performances by the Berlin and Concertgebouw ensembles do the beloved work justice. Perhaps Abbado’s reading is more outgoing, perhaps Harnoncourt’s more probing--it hardly matters: This is as wonderful as the old piece can sound. The extra Dvorak piece in each case is a felicitous addition. The German band makes a strong case for the melancholy and dramatic “Othello” overture, while the Dutch ensemble gives a charming account of the extended, good-humored, scherzo-like “Water Goblin,” the composer’s first symphonic poem.