MUSIC REVIEW : L.A. Chamber Concertmaster Shines in Conducting Debut

Four seasons and a few days ago, violinist Iona Brown led the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in a memorable, hugely expressive performance of Vivaldi’s “Le Quattro Stagioni.”

For his debut as guest director with the orchestra, Thursday night at Ambassador Auditorium, concertmaster Ralph Morrison dared the same work, leading a memorable, tautly expressive performance. What a difference an adverb makes.

Where Brown had offered fierce virtuosity, steely brilliance and swooning, over-the-top poetry, Morrison showed himself the sweet-toned, never forcing classicist who painted scenes with exact, focused brush strokes and tightly sculpted phrasings, an M.C. Escher, say, to Brown’s Delacroix.

In his beautifully polished and dashing account, Morrison could find dainty and delicate lines while avoiding any hint of preciousness thanks to the firm rhythmic backbone driving the work, the music lean and springy of step. The big tutti sections had plenty of verve and tension. Morrison appeared able to concentrate almost solely on his soloing, LACO’s accompaniment needing little fuss, yet sensitively, precisely rendered.

The first half of Morrison’s debut, in music of Bach, wasn’t quite as stellar. In both the “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5--with solid contributions from harpsichordist Patricia Mabee and flutist David Shostac--and the Concerto for Violin and Oboe, BWV 1060, with a pungent, elegant offering from Allan Vogel, soloist Morrison seemed too unselfish, often lost in the action.

The “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 3 hopped merrily along though, and with only 11 players, the inner parts--especially some fine work from the trio of violists--were wonderfully heard.