Stellar Reviews for Randall Goosby and Cristian Măcelaru with Orchestre National de France at the BBC Proms

Photo credit: Chris Christodoulou 

Bachtrack writes:

“That at least is my conjecture drawn from the five pieces programmed by the orchestra’s Music Director, Cristian Măcelaru, whose presence on the podium wasn’t just ambassadorial, it was strikingly evangelical”.

“Another star in the ascendant is that of violinist Randall Goosby, like Sohy making his Proms debut. He showed his versatility in well-rounded performances of two works by composers separated by at least three revolutions: the Chevalier de Saint-George, also known as Joseph Bologne, and Ernest Chausson. The former has been gifted a reputation not supported by his surviving works. Nevertheless, his Violin Concerto in G major clearly shows that there is a good deal to admire in his works. Goosby very effectively captured the elegance of the form with his stylish playing and the warmth of his sound”. 

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BroadwayWorld writes:

“Randall Goosby has previous with Joseph Bologne, having played some of his pieces as part of the soundtrack to the recent film (Chevalier), and he seemed thrilled to be able to revisit one of them as part of this concert. He oozed talent, style and energy - a magnetic presence on the Royal Albert Hall stage […] The audience was treated to another virtuoso appearance from Goosby, as he returned in the second half to play on Poème; an exquisite performance, full of emotion - and once again, completely captivating”.

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Seen and Heard International writes:

“There is something about a French orchestra playing French music, of course, and the Orchestre National de France with their Music Director (and Music Director Designate at Cincinnati) Cristian Măcelaru provided a perfectly atmospheric ‘Prélude à la nuit’. […] The way Măcelaru can have his players move from hyper-energised activity to supplicatory swoon in a heartbeat is a miracle”.

“Goosby is the real deal (he studied with Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho at Juilliard). But it was not only Goosby’s eloquence that made this such a success: Măcelaru had his players shade the orchestral contribution with such love and care

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