Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

Conductor Paavo Jarvi

Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No 1

Mary Ellyn Hutton
Post music writer

A native of the Czech Republic, Vondracek, 18, is no mere wunderkind, but a remarkably mature artist whose performance of the Mendelssohn tempts the word perfect. Crouching low over the keys, he impressed the music with precision, clarity of focus and a singing tone that bespeak a classic temperament of the first order. Jarvi and the CSO strings (violas, cellos) joined him in a gorgeously effusive Andante and he demonstrated arresting technical proficiency in the Presto finale. Remember the name, Vondracek. The music world will be hearing much more from him.