Music Reviews : Emanuel Ax With Chamber Music Society

The Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society certainly paid doting attention to guest Emanuel Ax in its concert at Gindi Auditorium Monday. Not only were the upper echelons of Philharmonic administration well represented in the audience, the orchestra produced three associate/assistant principals for the pianist’s ensemble and none less than Andre Previn to turn pages.

The musical results in Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet amply reinforced the sense of event. Ax, who was the soloist with the orchestra in subscription concerts at the Music Center last week, headed a performance notable for both refinement and symphonic scope.

This was not the untidy, relaxed “Trout” familiar from many ad hoc chamber recitals. Instead, it was a surprisingly noble and elegant effort, like an old friend dressed up and on his best manners for a formal occasion.

Ax projected his wonted technical authority, supporting uncommon eloquence. His account was invariably polite, often spirited, and sometimes almost uncomfortably patrician in this archetypal bourgeois music.

Violinist Maria Larionoff, violist Arthur Royval, cellist Daniel Rothmuller and bassist Barry Lieberman proved imminently suave in both ensemble and individual sound. Balances were generally appropriate, in a reading of great textural clarity.

In contrast, the opening performance of Smetana’s Quartet in E minor, “From My Life,” was exaggeratedly emotional, awkward in ensemble, and often coarse in sound and intonation. There were some fine moments to be sure, particularly in the inner movements, but violinists Yun Tang and Lawrence Sonderling, violist John Hayhurst and cellist Gloria Lum left this equally familiar work largely undistinguished, despite palpable energy and commitment.