MUSIC REVIEW : Temirkanov, Bronfman at Hollywood Bowl

Rapprochement continued at Hollywood Bowl on Thursday evening. For the second time this week, the Los Angeles Philharmonic brought Soviet conductor Yuri Temirkanov together with an emigre pianist.

On this occasion the soloist was Yefim Bronfman, with Brahms’ First Piano Concerto providing an eminently congenial meeting ground.

Bronfman proved honest and even noble in the heroic challenge. He rode the technical storms with confidence and purpose, made the epic passions persuasive and did not fear introspective revelation.

In the soft moments, however, he did not receive much cooperation from the environment. The hushed, rapt portions of the Adagio were particularly beset by all manner of extraneous noise.

Bronfman did not let that deflect him from sustained probing, maintaining musical equanimity and communicating well-directed thought even in barely audible passages. Temirkanov and the Philharmonic backed him sensitively and brought both finesse and power to their own moments.

After intermission, Temirkanov tackled Stravinsky’s 1947 revision of his “Petrushka” score with an inspired earthiness that ultimately elicited much cheering from the crowd of 9,687.

Temirkanov’s “Petrushka” developed explosively from fierce contrasts, reveling in the most sensuous sound imagery. Yet his was also a crisply paced, dramatically convincing account.

The orchestra produced handsomely for him, balanced as a whole and able in the many solos. It was not an immaculate performance, but rather one of overpowering vigor and spontaneity.