ZIMERMAN SOLOIST : PREVIN CONDUCTS RACHMANINOFF

There’s a cynic in every crowd. At Hollywood Bowl, Thursday night at 10:28, just before the last cathartic climax in the third movement of Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony, as played and conducted elegantly by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Andre Previn, someone noisily--and knowingly?--rolled a bottle down one of the concrete stairs in the upper part of the amphitheater.

Those of us who had just reached for a handkerchief quickly put it away. We will have to return to being closet-cryers. Obviously, Cahuenga Pass is not the place for letting it all out.

It was the place on Thursday, however, for polished and civilized music-making, courtesy of the Philharmonic and its music director. Together, the home team--and this orchestra does play better when the boss is on the premises--produced well-paced, clean-lined and transparent readings of Prokofiev’s suite, “Lt. Kije,” Liszt’s E-flat Piano Concerto and the Rachmaninoff work--the last performed uncut. As the orchestra prepares for Previn’s third season on the job, one can say the honeymoon is over, but the marriage has solidified.

The E-minor Symphony demonstrated again the conductor’s strong affinity for the work, and the ensemble’s manifold resources for realizing that affinity. A sense of purpose and accumulated tension marked this performance, which filled an hour with pleasure. Solo lines emerged with soul or mordancy, as required--among others, principal clarinetist Lorin Levee distinguished himself--the instrumental choirs maintained balances jauntily, and the full strength of the ensemble seemed to increase as the finale progressed. A treasurable reading.

Previn’s specialization in Prokofiev was also proved in the orchestra’s clear-eyed but witty view of the “Lt. Kije” suite, one replete with colorful and pointed instrumental characterizations. Sometimes, virtuosity seems its own reward.

Such is certainly the case with Krystian Zimerman, the 30-year old Polish pianist who has been visiting here, with consistent musical success, for the past decade. Zimerman’s performance of the Liszt Concerto, at mid-program, showed again his unflappable technique used for communicative ends as well as healthy display. As a still-young musician, Zimerman seems already to possess, in addition to his genuinely comprehensive accomplishment, a surprising versatility. Previn & Co. assisted affectionately.

Attendance: 11,716.