MUSIC REVIEW : Familiar Mozart From Neville Marriner

It’s finally here, the momentous death anniversary we’ve been honoring for more than a year, and the concert given by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Tuesday just about sums up the local manifestations of Mozartmania--civilized, unexceptional performances of centrist interpretations of familiar works, in double helpings.

Mozart has long been a staple for Neville Marriner and his widely traveled and recorded chamber orchestra. It hardly takes a memorial year for the conductor to pair the “Linz” and “Prague” Symphonies, K. 425 and 504, as he did for the second of two concerts at Ambassador Auditorium.

Marriner’s approach practically defines the enlightened mainstream of Mozart interpretation these days. Brisk and clarified, his accounts of the symphonies sang and danced engagingly.

He ignored the repeats in the slow movements, however, and never enforced true pianissimo playing. When his ideas departed from the printed score, it often was to smooth out articulation and dynamic extremes.

Between the symphonies came a highly contrasting solo vehicle, Weber’s torrid, florid F-minor Clarinet Concerto. Andrew Marriner, the St. Martin principal and son of the conductor, provided ample agility and distinctive sound, though frequently out of tune in the chalumeau register. He brought plenty of spunky character to the bravura noodling, and intoned the dramatic lyricism of the adagio with brooding sweetness.

The orchestra played its obviously well-drilled assignments affectionately and gracefully, with little hint of tour routine. The encores, the second Andante from Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” Symphony and Mozart’s “Figaro” Overture, were the same as the previous night--and were also brought by Marriner & Company on their last visit two years ago.