Although I have never lived there, I can see why people who live in New York City cherish it. All large cities have numerous challenges but they also have so much to offer to both residents and visitors. Twenty-one years ago a group of us — four couples — who were neighbors with lake houses in Pennsylvania the idea to take an excursion into Manhattan in the Spring to see a Broadway play and have dinner. This weekend we added number 21 to the list of weekends.
This year we added an extra day to the beginning of the weekend. It started with a drive into the city and then lunch at a restaurant on West 70th Street called Compass. They describe themselves as “modern American”. The food was quite different and very good. Unfortunately, they only serve lunch in the cocktail lounge and the tables are barely large enough to hold one large plate. After lunch we took a walk to Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center to hear a performance by the New York Philharmonic.
The first part of the concert was a violin solo by Julian Rachlin. He performed the Metamorphosen Violin Concerto No. 2 by Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. To be candid, I had never heard of Mr. Rachlin or Mr. Penderecki. The concerto was eccentric and at times wild. I have never heard such extremes in violin playing but Mr. Rachlin’s mastery of the instrument was awesome. Unfortunately, the piece had no discernible melody and it was hard to enjoy. The trip was worth it however because after the break the orchestra performed Franz Schubert’s Symphony in C Major, often called the “Great”. It truly was. Lorin Maazel is an amazing musical director. He has conducted more than 150 orchestras in more than 5,000 opera and concert performances. He truly is a master. He conducted the four part symphony with no score! The final movement alone is fifteen minutes of exuberance. He has obviously conducted this significant work many times before.
The New York Philharmonic orchestra has been performing since 1842. Hearing the perfectly balanced orchestra with it’s thousands of years of combined experience makes it easy to see why they have performed in 414 cities in 57 countries on five continents.
Note: I saw Stanley Drucker in the clarinet section. See prior story about Mozart concert.
Our dinner was at Triomphe which is a petite restaurant nestled in the Iroquois Hotel at
49 West 44th Street. The hotel was built in 1923 and was once home of the legendary actor James Dean. The food and service were excellent. After dinner we hung out in the lobby of the Algonquin Hotel just a few doors away. I have never stayed at The Algonquin but they claim it to be the hotel preferred by “those who best appreciate New York”. It is a true landmark with a gracious atmosphere amid the hustle and bustle of the city.
On Saturday we gathered at the theatre to see and hear Movin’ Out. There was not much of a plot but the music — all based on the songs and music of Billy Joel — was fantastic. The eleven piece band was terrific and the dancers were phenomenal. The physical condition — washboard tummies — enabled the dancing to be more like acrobatics at times. There was nearly two hours of fast paced action. The piano playing and singing by Henry Haid was outstanding. I can’t imagine that the regular, Michael Balderrame, could have been better.
Dinner was at the Palm West restaurant. The atmosphere was a bit brusque and noisy, but the no-nonsense professional service at this legendary steak house will not be forgotten. Great salads, impeccable steak and lobsters along with “family style” side dishes will be remembered also. Everything was excellent.
It was an early dinner, so we decided to go to a late movie. The Passion Of The Christ is a production that viewers will remember forever. Filmed in Italy, the movie is about the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. As expected, there is a great deal of violence but it was believable. Whatever one’s religious views might be, this is a movie worth seeing.
There are some pictures from the weekend in the photo gallery.

• Photo Gallery – New York Weekend 2004
• patrickWeb music-related stories