Riccardo Chailly Maintains a Romantic Vision : Music: The first non-Dutch music director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra has also expanded the repertory to include new works.

Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, one of the Netherlands’ great cultural treasures and one of the world’s most critically acclaimed and recorded orchestras, is an institution steeped in tradition. Ever since the days of Willem Mengelberg, who led the orchestra from 1895 to 1945, the orchestra has honed a signature sound especially admired in music of the late Romantic period.

Two years ago, during the centennial year of the orchestra, controversy was stirred when Riccardo Chailly, an Italian conductor and new-music proponent, took over as music director. With the exception of a three-year co-director stint by German conductor Eugen Jochum in the early ‘60s, it was the first time a non-Dutchman held that position.

But the controversy was short-lived. The orchestra not only maintained its stature, but has expanded its repertory with more music written recently--including a just-released recording of Berio’s “Sinfonia.”

“Music is an international language with the same frontiers the world over,” said Chailly, 37, in a telephone conversation from Milan, Italy.

“It is a fundamental skill for musicians to express all the various styles of music-making.

“The audience in Amsterdam is very intellectual and international. I sense no problems with anyone that a non-Dutch conductor has taken over the post. The orchestra members themselves democratically voted me in.”

Thursday night in the Orange County Performing Arts Center, Chailly (pronounced shy-YEE) brought the orchestra back for its fifth visit to the Southland, its last appearance occurring five years ago under Bernard Haitink.

The program tonight is Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 and Mahler’s “Das Lied von der Erde” with mezzo-soprano Jard van Nes and tenor Goesta Winbergh as soloists. The orchestra will perform two more programs in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center Saturday and Sunday with music by Rossini, Schubert, Brahms, Prokofiev, Beethoven and the Dutch composer Bernard Wagenaar.

“The situation with the orchestra is a combination of two things,” Chailly said.

“There is the great historical background which includes a large emphasis on late Romantic works--Mengelberg often invited Gustav Mahler to conduct the orchestra, creating a special relationship with that composer. And, by character, it has always been an orchestra which has looked forward. I’m trying to maintain both of these aspects.

“But most of all, the tradition of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is one of commitment, of working daily and always trying to improve on what it had done before. The acoustics inside the Concertgebouw (hall) are particularly good for late Romantic works, which has over the years helped create the traditional sound and repertory.”

Mengelberg’s half-century stay with the orchestra grounded the orchestra’s expertise in its repertory, which continued under the tenures of Van Beinum (1945-59) and Haitink (1961-88). Chailly said that he has no intention of trying to slight this tradition, but has added contemporary music to the agenda and is trying to perform works by lesser-known Dutch composers, such as Wagenaar.

“I have been accused of wanting to play only avant-garde music. That’s not true,” he said. “If it’s good music then it’s worth playing whether it’s avant-garde or Romantic.

“The orchestra’s woodwind section is especially perceptive to avant-garde music. They are all part of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble, which for the past 20 years has been completely dedicated to new music.”

Chailly, the son of an Italian composer who began conducting at 14, has formed an almost spiritual relationship with the city of Amsterdam.

“I love everything about that city,” he said. “I like the way the city is designed from the old center, newer sections layered outward from it. You can get to any place you want by just walking.

“And after I had moved into my new house in Amsterdam, I discovered that it was designed by the same architect who designed the Concertgebouw. To me, that was a miracle.”