In Cliburn’s Hands, a Workhorse Still Pleases

No longer gangly, but still boyish, Van Cliburn at 67 remains the charming pianistic icon from Texas, justifiably famous for his smile, his personal magnetism, his Romantic repertory, the major international piano competition he founded in 1962 and his unofficial ambassadorship of all things musically American.

Cliburn returned to Southern California Friday night, after an absence of eight years, to play again the same signature work--the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto--he had brought to Hollywood Bowl and San Diego in 1994, and to Long Beach in 1978.

He still plays it well, if not with the completely well-oiled technique of his youth, but solidly and with panache. As a musical veteran, Cliburn may never have realized the enormous promise of his remembered talent and charisma, but he still gives pleasure from the keyboard.

His collaborators this time around were conductor Boris Brott and the New West Symphony, an accomplished orchestra now in its seventh season. Together, the soloist and his colleagues achieved a strong and winning performance; solo contributions from flutist Paul Fried and cellist Armand Ksajikian added to the event.

Cliburn began nervously--the work itself is so legendary, it must cause palpitations in anyone other than the most brazen of young soloists--but settled in by the middle of the first movement, which went well but never achieved its true spontaneity.

The pianist created many beautiful moments in the treacherous and complicated Andantino, then sailed through the finale in a blaze of controlled speed, bravado and flying octaves.

The full house in the Fred Kavli Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza--this was a concert originally scheduled to be a gala opening to the season, then postponed because of the Sept. 11 tragedies--responded with a genuine standing ovation.

Brott led the orchestra in impressive readings of other Tchaikovsky pieces before intermission: The “Romeo and Juliet” Fantasy-Overture began tentatively but grew in confidence and decibels, and four excerpts from the “Swan Lake” ballet emerged idiomatic, though every one of the talented and game soloists seemed new to their assignments.