Work: Lumière et Pesanteur

Karina Canellakis conducts a program at the New York Philharmonic of works tied to the mystical or ineffable, with astonishing clarity.

In his second week of local performances, the Finnish composer-conductor offers a lush performance of music by a beloved collaborator, the late Kaija Saariaho.

Travel restrictions prevented both the concert’s marquee names from appearing, but their stand-ins stamped their personalities on an immensely attractive (and unchanged) programme.