Atherton’s Conducting Praised in S.F.

British conductor David Atherton, former music director of the San Diego Symphony, is back on the West Coast conducting two weeks of subscription concerts with the San Francsico Symphony. The temperamental maestro--he resigned his San Diego post a year ago amid accusations of having demoralized the local orchestra--apparently is charming his Bay Area hosts.

San Francisco Chronicle staff critic Joshua Kosman praised Atherton’s interpretation of Ravel and Strauss in last Wednesday’s concert.

Among the works on last week’s subscription concert was Takemitsu’s “A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden,” a work Atherton had selected to open San Diego’s 1986-87 season, but which was not performed when local board president Herbert Solomon canceled the season.