BWW Reviews: Goode to Great: Orpheus Returns to Carnegie Hall

From Goode to Great. Orpheus at Carnegie Hall.

Felix Mendelssohn completed his Symphony Number 4 ("The Italian") in Berlin, in 1833, at the conclusion of a three year vacation/tour of Europe. He conducted the world premiere of the symphony himself in London that same year. Despite the symphony's rapturous success, the composer remained unhappy with the work till the day he died; even revising the piece at least twice and never publishing the final work. Talk about a perfectionist!

The conductor-less Orpheus Chamber Orchestra brought all the sunshine and joy of the Italian countryside to Carnegie Hall last Saturday evening, with a vivacious rendition of the popular standard. A joyful almost playful spirit poured forth throughout the early movements. While in the final movement the orchestra played with reckless abandon, in the sweep of ecstasy, while never losing even a hint of control. The Mendelssohn symphony made up the first half of the program and provided a lovely contrast to the emotional tidal wave that was coming after the interval.

In the second half, native New Yorker, pianist Richard Goode returned to Carnegie Hall with his old "partners-in-crime" for a ravishing take on Schumann's Piano Concerto.

The nearly 40 year relationship between Mr. Goode and Orpheus is a happy and often magical one and New Yorkers are often the beneficiaries of that happy marriage. The Schumann Concerto provided the perfect vehicle for artist and orchestra to show off their hand-in-glove comfort and flexibility.

The concerto, written for his wife Clara, (a composer and pianist of no small acclaim herself) runs the gamut of technical and emotional expression. Technically, Mr. Goode delivered "the goods" (couldn't resist) flying through the faster sections, matched by his orchestral counterparts. But by far the high point of the evening came during the concerto's softer more delicate moments, where the bond between orchestra and soloist was almost other-worldly, especially considering they were operating on this plain without a conductor to help navigate.

Despite his exuberance and technical mastery, on June 1^st, Mr. Goode will be turning seventy, so any chance to see the maestro should be treasured - and the chance to hear him with his longtime musical partners the Orpheus show is a treat that should not be passed up.

Photo: Michael Wilson

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