Word: portney
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...ROBERT PORTNEY, violin soloist in the Tchaikovsky, was not helpful to the ensemble. He appeared lost in indifference when not tuning his instrument (during several orchestral passages) or playing solo. His technique is impressive and certainly of professional caliber. His very mastery might cover up for the cavalier attitude he held toward an audience he apparently felt was not up to New York concert standards. Coming to a dead stop in the middle of the first movement cadenza, Portney explained that it was hot (more than obvious to everyone in the room) and that he wished to tune the violin...
...playing was extremely good. Portney does have a staggering technique. If his hair-flicking, soul-stirring mannerisms were toned down--they look ridiculously out of place for such a young man--he would have far more to offer as a performer...
Gerry Moshell has put together a high-powered program of concertos at Kirkland House this Friday night. Two of the best violinists in the area are soloists, Robert Portney in the Tchaikovsky concerto and Ronan Lefkowitz (with Barbara Jacobson, vlute, and Hugh Wolff, harpsichord) in the Bach Fifth Brandenburg. Moshell is soloist in a DeFalla harpsichord concerto. No excuse for missing this: it's free and given twice the same evening, at 8:30 and midnight...
After intermission the recital closed with the big piece on the program--the Piano Quintet in A, op. 81 of Dvorak, with Alan Marks, piano, Robert Portney, first violin, Ronan Lefkowitz, second violin, James Froelich, viola and Mary Ann Elder, cello. It may seem that the performers who choose to play such a bag of musical sweets as this Dvorak Quintet can hardly fail to satisfy, no matter how they play. However, an audience usually senses when the players are "fudging," and does not respond. Here the players admitted nary an iota of fudge to their bag of sweets--just...
KIRKLAND HOUSE JCR. Robert Portney, violin; Arlene Portney, piano. Works by Scarlatti, Chopin, Liszt, Franck, Wieniawski, and Bartok...