Southampton Press
July 20, 2006; Arts & Living; Page B5

By Fred Volkmer

The Music Festival of the Hamptons has presented a considerable variety of concerts in an assortment of venues since its beginning this year on June 24. It offers pianists, chamber music of all sorts, and orchestral music.

On Friday, July 14, under the new festival tent on the Wölffer grounds, the evening belonged to the festival’s new orchestra, the Camerata New York, under the direction of Richard Owen It is by far the best orchestra I have heard here, excepting Itzhak Perlman’s orchestra of Perlman music camp prodigies.

The program for the evening included Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture and Strauss’ Die Fledermaus Overture, to both of which Mr. Owen brought a light and melodic touch, as well as an air of celebration. One could almost hear the champagne corks popping.

Performances were polished and energetic. Mr. Owen’s conducting was incisive, expressive, and easy to follow.

The centerpiece of the program was the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467. The pianist was Richard Raymond, a Canadian musician who was a winner of the chamber music prize at the Van Cliburn Competition. Mr. Raymond, I thought, gave one of the most uninvolved and uninvolving performances of that concerto I’ve ever heard.

The final work of the evening was Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7. The orchestra dug into it with a will, giving a gripping and powerful performance.

I was completely convinced by Mr. Owen’s interpretation of the symphony and in utter admiration of the performance.

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