MUSIC REVIEWS : FINAL CONCERT IN LONG BEACH SEASON

“The New Long Beach Symphony,” declares the brochure, “is alive!” And quite well. At least that was the diagnosis Thursday, when the orchestra gave its final concert of the current, cautiously short subscription series at the Terrace Theater.

The program closed with Sibelius’ Second Symphony, a severe test for any orchestra. The technical difficulties don’t pose the greatest challenge here. Rather, it is the task of weaving the seemingly disparate units into a continuous whole. Conductor Murry Sidlin made a compelling case for his vision of the work, balancing the dramatic, extrovert elements with the introspective ones. He emphasized the variety of orchestration, eliciting remarkably potent crescendos from his brass section. Indeed, the section’s virile brilliance and organ-like resonance allow one to forgive the few moments when one player or another pushed too much.

The musicians themselves seemed to thoroughly enjoy the performance, and rightfully so; here was a reading both intellectually probing and exuberant. The standing ovation seemed justified and sincere.

Before intermission, two orchestral principals joined pianist Mona Golabek in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Golabek and cellist John Walz brought clarity and definition, as well as considerable warmth, to their lines; concertmaster Kathleen Lenski played with a suave, liquid sound and facile technique. With consistently reliable orchestral support, the three gave a tight, energetic, joyous account of the concerto.

Sidlin opened with a dynamic performance of Brahms’ “Academic Festival” Overture, some momentary rhythmic friction and an unconvincing beginning notwithstanding.