Esa-Pekka Salonen exudes star quality, but he demonstrated magnanimity in his latest appearance with the Philadelphia Orchestra. To begin, he shared the spotlight with four principal players – oboist Philippe Tondre, clarinetist Ricardo Morales, bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa and French horn Jennifer Montone – in Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat major. As a frequent skeptic of this outfit’s approach to Mozart, Salonen impressed me with his refreshingly old-fashioned take on the piece. He maximized what this orchestra does well, allowing generous vibrato and expansive phrasing, rather than trying to make them sound like a lean, mean HIP machine. The reduced complement of strings and wind instruments provided juicy support for the four soloists.
Tondre emerged first among equals in the quartet, his rich, forward sound anchoring the three movements without overwhelming his colleagues. Morales proved himself a master of daringly dextrous clarinet runs. Matsukawa displayed the warm, chestnut tone that often makes him a star within the orchestra, and Montone played with a clean, mellow style. This work may still court controversy among Mozart scholars – and at least some of it was undoubtedly not written or orchestrated by the composer – but it proved yet again to be a delightful appetizer and showcase for several of Philly’s best.
The evening’s main course was Bruckner, and his Symphony no. 4 in E flat major ,“Romantic” found the soloists back in their seats within the orchestra. Montone anchored the brass section with bright, penetrating horn calls in the first movement, and Salonen expertly balanced the spirited dialogue traded between brass and wind that emerged on a tremulous blanket of strings. Ever attentive to detail, he cleanly introduced each subject, sculpting phrases precisely and controlling entrances and transitions with maximum efficiency. This was narrative Bruckner – appropriate for a symphony that bears a subtitle genuinely chosen by the composer – and Salonen took the listener on a journey rather than allowing the majesty of the sound, and this orchestra’s skill, to do the heavy lifting.
Even so, the result was not coolly intellectual, and Salonen allowed Dionysian and Apollonian pleasures in his interpretation. The Scherzo was appropriately overwhelming and surprisingly loose rhythmically, without sounding sloppy. The Trio sounded genuinely rustic, and the Finale unfolded with refreshing restraint and patience. Salonen seemed content to linger in the expansive forest of Bruckner’s creation, and his relaxed pace emphasized superb detail in the phrasing. I missed the return of the horn at the conclusion of Benjamin Korstvedt’s more recent edition of the score, used here, but Salonen undoubtedly gave full picture to Bruckner’s sonic and structural abilities.
