Richard Goode

Richard Goode is an American pianist celebrated for his interpretations of the Viennese classics, especially Mozart and Beethoven, as well as Brahms and Schubert. He has performed with major American orchestras and is admired for chamber-music-like sensitivity even in concerto settings. Listeners come to hear phrasing that favors clarity and singing tone over showmanship.

Goode's playing favors a singing, unforced tone and a close attention to how one phrase leads into the next, rather than raw display. In Mozart concertos, expect clean articulation, a light touch in fast passages, and dynamic shading that brings out the give and take between piano and orchestra. He tends to let tempos breathe naturally rather than pushing for effect, and he is known for finding an intimate, conversational quality in music even when playing with a full orchestra. On this program, paired with Stravinsky, listeners can expect the same care applied to rhythm and color, with attention to how the piano's lines interact with the orchestra's texture.