Judging from all the between-movement applause (Gheorghiu even took a bow after the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3), this wasn't the usual classical music crowd cultivated by the late Freddie Mann. And that's excellent news - whatever their level of sophistication, listeners knew the great from the good. The concerto went reasonably well and was reasonably applauded. Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 was outstanding, and so was the reception.
What can be done with this overexposed symphony with what was probably limited summertime rehearsal? Immediately, Remmereit established the brass as an unusually significant character in the overall sound picture, giving the music added structural continuity and dramatic narrative. Beethoven often built momentum with a repeating sequence of phrases that, in some instances, Remmereit slowed slightly (yes, it sounds contradictory) to give added gravity.
Elsewhere, he would slow a bit to make a point - no surprise that he worked with Leonard Bernstein early on - without being heavy-handed. These and other details made the symphony speak with emphatic freshness, aided by a thoroughly engaged orchestra. Sometimes in summer concerts, that's too much to expect.
In the concerto, the Zurich-born Gheorghiu showed himself well equipped for a concert career: His technique is just fine, right down to his particularly lovely trills, and his sensitive touch gives the impression of notes being plucked from the air. But if there was any indication that he's not ready, it was that his personality was so elusive. In the first movement's second theme group, you felt him relaxing into the music with an extra warmth and lyricism. But only in the cadenza did he have a range of color and touch - not to mention a point of view - that the rest of the performance needed.
Contact music critic David Patrick Stearns at dstearns@phillynews.com.
