The Philadelphia Orchestra with Alain Altinoglu and Veronika Eberle

An imaginative romp

A mid-20th-century work by Dutilleux, Métaboles skirts the limits of tonality, offering an imaginative romp through the individual instruments of a large orchestra. Without pause, the orchestra undulates between energetic, almost primitive bursts of sound, and shimmering tone painting. It does not skimp on discord, but quickly backs off from the abrasive in favor of a lively conversation among instruments.

Throughout this piece and the concert as a whole, Altinoglu demonstrated a crisp, precise conducting style that relied more on movement of the hands, arms, and torso than on facial expressions or exaggerated gestures. The result was uniformity of control and pacing in all three works, an effect which ensured a warm, vibrant sound and consistent phrasing. At times, however, especially mid-Brahms, it also teetered on the edge of predictability. I recommend Altinoglu’s rendition of the Métaboles, not a new work by any means, and one that the Philadelphians have performed several times since 1975. A composer who is frequently mentioned in the same breath as Ravel and Poulenc, Dutilleux deserves further exploration.

Simple wonders

Eberle made her Philadelphia Orchestra debut in this concert with a performance of the Mendelssohn, surely one of the half-dozen most popular violin concertos in the repetoire. After a tentative start, she soon merged with the music and maintained a seamless partnership with the orchestra up to and including the final note, offered with a satisfied flourish and to a standing ovation. The expressive use of rubato at the end of the second movement by soloist and orchestra alike was as lovely as any I have ever heard in this work.

Her gentle lyricism and nimble technique were enhanced by the velvety tone of her Dragonetti Stradivarius, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. The instrument is named for the famous double-bassist from the early 19th century who performed with and influenced Beethoven and who amassed a formidable collection of strings including this violin. And isn’t it a wonder, even a miracle, that so much beauty can be coaxed out of a box with four strings, scraped by a hairy stick?

Brimming with Brahms

The final work on the program was Brahms’s Symphony No. 1. In the interest of full disclosure, I confess I am missing the neural ganglion associated with the appreciation of certain works by Brahms, whom I’ve heard is the favorite composer of Philadelphia audiences. Having so confessed, I concede this was a graceful, dramatic, and sonorous performance. The orchestra and conductor, though only slightly acquainted, play comfortably together, as though they have known each other for years. What an opportunity for new listeners to hear all the orchestra’s instruments showcased to their best advantage.

I would have preferred to hear this piece with a smaller orchestra, though, which would allow more breathing room and lyrical freedom. Brahms may have been a perfectionist, but he was still a relatively young man when he composed this symphony. It would be interesting to hear what a smaller ensemble with just a bit of swagger could do with this work.

We can look forward, in future weeks, to hearing the rest of Brahms’s symphonic output as the orchestra presents the final three symphonies this season.