Conductor

REVIEWS:

HAYDN Symphony 94 ('Surprise') Roy Goodman/Hanover Band/Hyperion
BBC Radio 3 Record Review Saturday 6 June 2009 - Jonathan Swaine
Building a Library - 1st period instrument choice!

"No lack of character from Roy Goodman and the Hanover Band...he directs his players from a Broadwood fortepiano. I rather like Goodman's fortepiano contributions - they're imaginative, discreet, and about the right proportions...lending an intruiging element of harmonic colour to the proceedings. Hickox's Collegium Musicum '90 is not as consistently alight as Roy Goodman's and the actual timbre of Hickox's is less distinctive than Goodman's...and the problem for the pioneering Hogwood is that, almost a decade on, the Hanover Band with Roy Goodman (also directing from a fortepiano) had the advantage of the refinements and improvements the intervening years brought to period instrument performance - in other words the expressive dimension is wider (with prominent winds and timpani)...and I'm very happy to give it [Goodman] top recommendation for period instrument performance and top recommendation for digital recording too! Dorati may not be as open-air festive as Goodman...but may be the perfect compliment to Goodman's - don't hesitate!"

Jonathan Swaine [BBC Radio 3 CD Review 'Building a Library' - Saturday 6 June 2009]

Debut with Dutch National Ballet & Holland Symfonia (Amsterdam Muziektheater, March 2004)

"GOODMAN STRONG AS BALLET CONDUCTOR TOO" :
"Roy Goodman is extremely versatile...Goodman is the ideal conductor for a varied ballet performance which combines Balanchine's Theme and Variations with music by Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky's Agon, and Who Cares? - a medley of Gershwin songs. In the fourth movement of Tchaikovsky's Third suite Goodman works toward the monumental dazzling ending in an elegant and festive way. Even for Valery Gergiev, Stravinsky's Agon appeared tricky and fragmented in a concert performance last December; but add the Balanchine ballet and Goodman's loving attentive treatment and all the fascinating surrealistic expression falls naturally into place. The Gershwin commuted nicely between strict dance tempo and symphonic big band swing. With the appointment of their new chief, Holland Symfonia has audibly made the right choice and plays very convincingly. The enthusiastic Goodman is a great asset to Dutch musical life"

Kasper Jansen [NRC Handelsblad - 22 March 2004]

complete Beethoven Symphony Cycle (Nimbus) with The Hanover Band

"...Roy Goodman with The Hanover Band...what a difference these recordings made to our understanding of these works...energetic and beautifully played...characteristic of his whole cycle, which is recommendable"

Roderick Swanston [BBC CD Review - 27 November 2004]

European Union Baroque Orchestra [St John's Smith Square, London, Monday 23 June 2003]

"Roy Goodman's enthusiasm never fails to inspire and energise those in front of him"

Hilary Finch [The Times - 28 June 2003]

Handel Messiah [Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Thursday 2 January 2003 - RSNO and chorus]

"If it is remotely within the realms of reality, and not just some silly fantasy, then the RSNO management should pursue conductor Roy Goodman and persuade him to add the orchestra's annual Messiah to his diary of engagements in perpetuity. Last year, when the famed early-music specialist took on the job for the first time, the results he produced from both the RSNO and its chorus were revelatory; but, being the first time, there might have been a strong element of novelty - orchestras are notorious for reacting well to something different on a first encounter, then turning against it.

As Goodman demonstrated yesterday in a breathtaking Messiah , whose performance was so vibrant, so consistently stimulating, and so radiantly different to what you might expect from a large chorus and players in a symphony orchestra, last year's version was no novelty. Swift pacing, an ineffably light touch, unforced playing and singing, superb articulation, and a sense of bounce in both pulse and rhythm, were the overriding characteristics in a Messiah that radiated life and energy. Goodman, conducting the whole thing from memory, and with such precision and dynamism that his cues and intentions were unmistakable, secured playing from the RSNO that was crisp, fleet, stylish, and inimitable by any other conductor currently on the orchestra's books"

Michael Tumelty [The Glasgow Herald - 3 January 2003]


"A Radiant Messiah - last Thursday's performance of Handel's Messiah showed no sign of festive weariness...what Goodman achieved from the RSNO in this Messiah was a revelation. He took the orchestra through its paces in this work a year ago to much acclaim and they have clearly built upon that. The balance and poise of the RSNO's phrasing, its crisp articulation and rhythmic vitality showed a sensitivity to chamber-style performance that I have never before felt from these players. Goodman worked the orchestra slickly and earnestly to reflect every ounce of joy, awe and despair in the libretto"

James Allen [The Daily Telegraph - 6 January 2003]

Handel Messiah [Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Wednesday 2 January 2008 - RSNO and chorus]

"Whatever one's taste in performance styles of Handel's Messiah, there was one incontestable fact about yesterday's riveting performance by the RSNO, with its chorus and four soloists all very much commanded by conductor Roy Goodman, and that was the tremendous integrity of the interpretation. At every level, the performance was informed by a seamless intellectual and musical consistency.
This Messiah was unified by its fidelity to the text, not just in its clarity but in the way that every word, every phrase, every aria and every chorus, in all their detail, fed into a single vision of the great oratorio. It would be over-literal to infer that Roy Goodman interpreted it in terms of word painting; it was more that he allowed the emotional and psychological implications of the text to govern the shape, flow, colour and expressivity of the music. It was, thus, a real, expressive drama to which view all performers clearly subscribed.
First and foremost, the RSNO chorus, singing as warmly as I have heard for a long time. Conductor Roy Goodman secured just the right touch of lightness to allow maximum speed and clarity of delivery in the fastest choruses. And - well, well - what of the RSNO strings, producing a marvellously authentic, light stylish sound, with appropriate bowing styles, speeds, strokes and vibrato?
This was Goodman's Messiah - he is a master of Messiah with large forces."

Michael Tumelty [The Glasgow Herald - 3 January 2008]

Handel Messiah [Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Saturday 2 January 2010 - RSNO and chorus]

"BLAZING MESSIAH TO THAW ANY ICE - a red-hot conductor produces an electrifying performance. This was luxury casting...but the most extraordinary feature of all was the interpretation of conductor Roy Goodman. He is red hot. He always is; and time and again the playing of the RSNO and the singing of the RSNO Chorus testified to that fact. He's done this here many times with many Messiahs, but this one was something else. All his trademark features - weight, muscular energy, attack, tightly-sprung rhythms, and strongly-flavoured dynamic contrasts, were reflected in the RSNO performance. But I have never heard, not even from Goodman himself, a Messiah that was so alive to the text. Rather than the music colouring and characterising the text, or being pictorial, it was almost as though the text itself was shaping the music, and, through it, Goodman's response and its reflection in the performance. This was a Messiah of blazing intensity and unusually gripping drama; and a Messiah, moreover, with absolutely minimal cuts: as near complete as you will hear. Tremendous"

Michael Tumelty [The Glasgow Herald - 3 January 2010]

HANDEL Alcina [Debut at San Francisco Opera]

"Rewards came from the Opera Orchestra under the deftly unobtrusive "

Joshua Kosman [San Francisco Chronicle - 21 November 2002]

"Conductor Roy Goodman, who makes his S.F. Opera debut with these performances, led a luxurious performance, galvanizing the orchestra and giving the singers plenty of room to breathe...it's still possible to close your eyes and bask in the beauties of the score"

Georgia Rowe [San Francisco Times - 21 November 2002]

SCHUMANN Complete Symphonies - Hanover Band/Goodman [RCA Victor Red Seal 09026 61931-2]

"Goodman's readings are no less revelatory than Harnoncourt's.....crisp, Classical textures and fleet tempos.....sharply etched in terms of timbre and articulation"

Barry Millington [The London Times - 7 January 1995]

"One conductor stands well above the rest of the pack in the volume and consistency of high quality in the performance of Viennese Classics on period instruments. It is not the only area of his musical activity, but it is the one that has caught and held my attention for more than a decade. That is Roy Goodman, who I believe stands out as a voice of sense, moderation, intelligence and undogmatic practicality.

Goodman imposes a quality of motion upon this music that is light in touch, rhythmically pointed.....slow movements are done with imaginative inflections of speed and dynamics.....no dramatic points are overlooked.....all the performances are enlightening and engaging far beyond the ordinary."

John Wiser [Fanfare Magazine USA - March/April 1995]

"From the first bar they prove a revelation.....Goodman allows himself full expressive warmth.....articulation is so crisp and rhythms are so infectiously sprung.....yet there's no lack of weight or nobility.....this is a Schumann cycle to rival any in the catalogue."

Edward Greenfield [BBC Radio 3 Record Review - 8 April 1995]

"This is one of those sets where so much sounds different, novel or challenging, that it will take quite a few playings before the full import of Roy Goodman's provocative performances hits home.....it features some of the most refreshing Schumann conducting to have come my way.....textual novelty is commonplace.....Goodman's quick reflexes and keen sense of the dramatic.....much neon lighting from within, logical transitions, lithe textures and thrillingly conclusive codas.....this is a very significant set."

Robert Cowan [Gramophone - March 1995]

DÉBUT PERFORMANCE with the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra

"Goodman makes his points crisply and logically. Though he leaves little to chance, never do you sense those points unserviced by musical demands. Rarely, in fact, do you see conducting this assertive producing results that sound so spontaneous."

James Mannishen [Winnipeg Free Press]

SHOSTAKOVITCH Symphony 10 [Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra]

"Roy Goodman brought unmistakable sympathy and understanding to his reading with the RLPO.....the deep soulfulness conveyed at the end of the first and third movements was a product of his sure-footed pacing and characterisation of the overall structure."

David Fanning [The Daily Telegraph - 6 March 2000]

HANDEL Opera arias and overtures [Hyperion CDA67128]

"My nomination for the best disc of the year goes to Emma Kirkby, Roy Goodman and the Brandenburg Consort. Goodman's conducting is a model of Baroque sensibility in its balance between precision and freedom.....a compelling interpretation of rarely heard masterpieces."

Berta Joncus [International Record Review - December 2000]

DÉBUT at English National Opera - Gluck's Orpheus and Eurydice

"Roy Goodman conducting contributes his brilliant sense of theatre and instinct for authentic style. The music has pace and lift, and fulfils its role of portraying the narrative.....Opera-theatre like this really challenges the imagination, and shouldn't be missed."

Tom Sutcliffe [London Evening Standard - 4 March 1999]

HAYDN SYMPHONIES for HYPERION Records

"Roy Goodman's Haydn series with the Hanover Band has been an unmitigated pleasure. This is vital and energetic Haydn playing where clarity and crispness are allied to a real flair for capturing the musical character of each movement. These endlessly imaginative performances are among the best of all period-instrument Haydn"
International Record Review

"Much as I admire Hogwood's performances, I find myself turning even more eagerly to the Hyperion series with Roy Goodman directing the Hanover Band. The period strings are sweeter, and I can recommend every one of the first seven discs to have appeared"
The Guardian 2003

"Goodman and the Hanover Band respond to the music's astonishing boldness and inventive vigour with uncommon freshness and dramatic immediacy"
Gramophone 2003

"These recordings are aglow with aural warmth and tonal beauty; they bubble with vitality. Glory follows upon glory with Haydn's memorable melodies and wonderful harmonies leaping from page to the ear. These recordings sparkle with enthusiasm as well as a love of the repertoire..very strongly recommended"
Fanfare Magazine USA

Three début concerts with AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA New Zealand (Nov 2007)

"The French instalment of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's The Splendour of the Baroque series saw Roy Goodman and his musicians rendering eloquent and entertaining homage to the Muse of Versailles. Goodman bustled on to the stage, Palladium style, smiles flashing to the gallery…Rameau was clearly not the only hero of the evening - after the final grand chord, the orchestra shouted "Vive le roi", in appreciation of the conductor whose dynamism has shaped the APO's most rewarding Spring series for years. Your last opportunity to catch this extraordinary Englishman is on Thursday. Do not pass it by”

William Dart [New Zealand Herald - 20 November 2007]

HAYDN CREATION with AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA New Zealand (16 Oct 2009)

"MUCH ANTICIPATED RETURN OF GUEST CONDUCTOR ROY GOODMAN WORTH WAIT

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's performance of Haydn's The Creation heralded the much anticipated return of Roy Goodman, the APO's Principal Guest Conductor. Working in his field of speciality, the Englishman gave us what must be the climax of this year's Haydn celebrations.
The celebrated Representation of Chaos which opens the oratorioi was transformed into a breathtaking tone poem. The string sound had an almost intoxicating gleam to it, with telling woodwind contours; Goodman effortlessly caught the almost Tristanesque touches. Not a detail in Haydn's extraordinarily inventive orchestration escaped Goodman's notice, from stentorian trombone to prowling double-bassoon. Putting down his baton to accompany the recitatives on an 1840 Collard square piano, we were charmed by his flurries and flutters across the keys.”

William Dart [New Zealand Herald - 19 October2009]

HAYDN CREATION with AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA New Zealand (16 Oct 2009)

"PARADISE FOUND: THE APO EXCEL THEMSELVES WITH HAYDN'S CREATION

Roy Goodman, enthusiasm expressed in his every gesture, and shaping every phrase with the utmost care, was the ideal conductor. Even more than a conductor, he took to the stage as a Haydn missionary, needing us all, audience and performers, to believe in the piece in the same way he does.
Goodman is best known for his work in the early music movement. As the Auckland Philharmonia's principal guest conductor, he has not asked them to throw away their modern instruments, but instead has convinced them to play the music on modern instruments in an authentic style, and in many ways this is the best of both worlds. With the orchestra's unusual willingness to do something different and be guided by an expert, they played Haydn in this concert as though for the first time. For me the whole performance was the highlight of the APO's year so far.”

Rod Biss [New Zealand Listener - 20 October 2009]

BEETHOVEN EROICA with AUCKLAND PHILHARMONIA New Zealand (29 Oct 2009)

"GOODMAN ENDS SEASON WITH LIVELY NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra's Thursday concert featured its principal guest conductor Roy Goodman, making his last appearance for this season; predictably, it was a night to remember.
Weber's Euryanthe overture was ideal material for Goodman's high-energy showmanship and the composer's con fuoco directive saw the piece taken at a fiery galop. Yet, for all the high spirits, there was radiant poetry in the ghostly largo for muted violins. All in all, this was a performance so captivating that some may have gone home determined to investigate the complete opera. Punters must have found Dohnanyi's Konzertstuck an exhilarating experience. This score matches moments of Straussian opulence with the sort of swoons that Erich Korngold would export to Hollywood, making Raphael Wallfisch's essentially restrained interpretation highly effective.
Goodman made a name for himself, two decades ago, with his Hanover Band sprucing up Beethoven symphonies. Little surprise that for Thursdays' Eroica he had brought along his own parts. This paid dividends in the buoyant opening allegro which allowed those Viennese waltzes concealed in its bars to come out and dance. The slow movement had a real march to its step and seemed even more Mahlerian than ever. At one point Goodman lingered tellingly over a note; at another he signalled a solitary horn to burst out of the texture.
All in all, this was the freshest Eroica I have heard for many a year and it seems far too long a wait for Goodman to return next April”

William Dart [New Zealand Herald - 2 November 2009]

English Chamber Orchestra at Bermuda Festival [Dohnanyi/Jacob/Vivaldi in January 2009]

"Once again the English Chamber Orchestra delivered an outstanding evening's entertainment...led this time by conductor and harpsichordist Roy Goodman...the programme included works both familiar and unfamiliar. As a conductor, the multi-talented Roy Goodman was a delight. A man with possibly the most radiant smile in his field, he lit up the stage with his personality and enthusiasm...in driving his vision of the music, Mr. Goodman executed real warmth and appreciation throughout his working relationship with the orchestra and soloists...in terms of establishing a rapport with the audience he was excellent."

[The Royal Gazette Bermuda - 11 February 2009]

Sydney Symphony Orchestra in Sydney Opera House [Bach/Lalo/Tippett/Handel April 2010]

"The Sydney Symphony and conductor Roy Goodman with Bach's Fourth Orchestral Suite...was beguiling and splendid...in Michael Tippett's Concerto for double string orchestra Goodman and the Sydney Symphony gave the work a glowing yet distinctive expressiveness"

[Sydney Morning Herald - 16 April 2010]

Page Updated: 17 April, 2010