Carter Brey, the Philharmonic’s principal cellist, was an excellent soloist in Haydn’s ebullient and inventive Cello Concerto No. 1 in C ... Read More...— Anthony Tommasini,
The New York Times
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Brey’s technique was fluid, and in longer phrases he produced a singing tone and vibrato. Nearly as striking was his stage attitude. When the orchestra played, he sat back and crossed his legs, bobbed his head, tapped his foot. He was enjoying himself thoroughly, and when he was playing he was enjoying the experience even more ... Read More...— George Grella,
New York Classical Review
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Carter Brey, the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic, gave a fiery rendition of Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1, displaying agile runs and pure intonation, even in extremely high passages. At critical moments in the first and second movements, he showed off pleasing cadenzas of his own composition, complete with some interesting double-stops.
Read More...— Charles T. Downey,
Washington Classical Review
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The New York Philharmonic's performance seemed like an in-the-moment response to tragic loss. Read More...— Anthony Tommasini,
The New York Times
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Principal cellist Carter Brey played the Don Quixote solo part, with principal violist Cynthia Phelps as Sancho Panza, playing from her first chair position. She stood out in tone and execution from the rest of her section. Brey was excellent, for a long time the only orchestral voice moving forward with a clear sense of direction and purpose. The tenderness he brought out, and his cantabile phrasing, were touching and satisfying. Read More...— George Grella,
New York Classical Review
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Brey is a literal musician. He doesn’t milk a long-held note for a bloom where no bloom is called for. When he distorts rhythms with a rubato or an extra push, he does so with the utmost discretion. More may be called for to make a point in a large concert hall but up close, the sort of restraint that Brey offered spoke volumes. Read More...— Joan Reinthaler,
The Washington Post
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Carter Brey, the Philharmonic’s stellar principal cellist, was an excellent soloist in Schumann’s Cello Concerto. This work mostly holds its bravura moments in abeyance until the finale, and Mr. Brey rose to them admirably. Read More...— James R. Oestreich,
The New York Times
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Brey demonstrated why he has a reputation for deep and affecting artistry in Robert Schumann’s “Cello Concerto in A Minor, Op. 129,” finding moments of genius, both melancholy and mercurial, in the score. During the sustained ovation, Brey extended warm congratulations to NBSO principal cello Leo Eguchi, who duetted with him so ably in the second movement. Read More...— Benjamin Dunham,
Wicked Local
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Brey and Nakamatsu ended the first half with a stunning performance of the E minor cello sonata of Brahms. This is an introspective and melancholy piece of considerable beauty. Both cellist and pianist have obviously given the sonata a lot of thought, and probably played it with a great variety of other artists. That aside, the two appeared to have the same concept about the sonata and thus delivered an interpretively unified reading. Many in the audience let the music carry them along and there was a collective sigh at the end before the applause started. Read More...— Gregory Sullivan Isaacs,
Theater Jones - North Texas Performing Arts News
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"As always, Brey played with an impeccable bright tone." Read More...— Amelia Pang,
Epoch Times
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His [Carter Brey's] playing was probing, supple and, when called for, brilliant. Read More...— ANTHONY TOMMASINI,
New York Times
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This was obviously a labor of love, and Mr. Brey seemed to be enjoying himself thoroughly, as well he should have. The packed house did too, to judge from the long and loud standing ovation. Read More...— JAMES R. OESTREICH,
New York Times
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Carter Brey, longtime principal cellist for the New York Philharmonic, performed Dvorák’s renowned Cello Concerto of 1895 on Friday with authority and confidence. Read More...— Todd von Kampen,
Omaha World-Herald
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While the “Ghost” moniker comes from the eerie second movement, I felt a chill all the way through, even in the first movement when the piano octaves of the second theme, for example, crept along like a incorporeal apparition. The ominous quality of the exposition was gently resolved with Mr. Brey’s sweet delivery in the recapitulation. Both Mr. Brey and Ms. Urioste’s playing demonstrate a delicate tone, which was never thick, gestured or aggressive. Read More...— Seth Lachterman,
The Berkshire Review
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It was a treat to see Carter Brey out of his usual seat as principal cellist with the New York Philharmonic last Sunday in a meticulous recital at Edmond Town Hall, presented by Newtown Friends of Music. Read More...— Jan Stribula,
Connecticut Post
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"Cellist Carter Brey pumped life into Antonin Dvorák's overplayed Concerto in B Minor ... Instead of closeting himself with his solo part, Brey treated the concerto like chamber music, responding both physically and musically to the movements of the orchestra. It came across as both theatrical and heartfelt, an engrossing exploration of the tension between one and many." Read More...— Anne Timberlake,
Richmond Times-Dispatch
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"The ideal soloist for [Dvorak's Cello Concerto] is one who has the technique of a star instrumentalist but is more conversant with orchestration than the typical soloist, and one who is inclined to play with, rather than in front of, orchestral musicians. Carter Brey, the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic, proved to be that ideal soloist ... deeply engaged with the orchestra's performance as well as his own. His understanding of the cello's role in the piece, leading here, supportive or collaborative there, was consistently on the mark." Read More...— Clarke Bustard,
Virginia Classical Music Blog
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A difficult but rewarding new piece of music received its world premiere Sunday night at the Kravis Center, and its presenters made sure that first sendoff was an exemplary one.
Cellist Carter Brey and pianist Christopher O’Riley debuted Justin Dello Joio’s Due per Due (Two for Two) before a midsized but noisy crowd at Dreyfoos Hall that nonetheless gave the work appreciative applause. Read More...— GREG STEPANICH,
PalmBeachDailyNews.com
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[Carter Brey] played the solo line bewitchingly, with a touch of acid in his timbre that stealthily offset the overwhelmingly lyrical, singing impulse of his phrasing. It was a deft melding of Prokofiev's and Rostropovich's essential qualities. Read More...
— Allan Kozinn,
The New York Times
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"The quality of his intonation, size and beauty of his tone, dazzle of his virtuosity, and confidence of his manner were immediately apparent."
— The Boston Globe
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"In Washington last night, Mstislave Rostropovich leaped to his feet and started a standing ovation...Mr. Brey's technique is nearly flawless, he can turn up the emotional thermometer to the boiling point when he chooses, and he has the sense of showmanship without which his spectacular musical ability might remain known only to connoisseurs."
— The Washington Post
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"The beauty of his tone and his way with a long lyric phrase are both spectacular"
— The Chicago Sun-Times
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