Music Review : Jahja Ling, Jeffrey Kahane Pair Gracefully at the Bowl

In the ongoing saga of Nights at the Hollywood Bowl, Thursday’s venture, before 8,005 officially tabulated listeners, was probably not among the most significant chapters. Call it modestly enjoyable.

Continuing the story from Tuesday, we find Jeffrey Tate still injured, this time replaced by Jahja Ling, resident conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra and former fellow of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute. (Ling, you may remember, stepped in last Bowl season, when Carlo Rizzi failed to show.) He took over three-fourths of Tate’s planned program--handily--and concluded with Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.

In a graceful (and scheduled) cameo, Jeffrey Kahane rekindled Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G. Here is music seemingly made for Kahane, its jazz-inflected lines flourishing under the delicate etchings and playful shadings of the pianist. There was spontaneity, too, in the mix, as if Ravel’s notes were clay and Kahane was molding them anew on the spot. His pensive reading of the Adagio hovered breathlessly. Ling and orchestra accompanied sympathetically, and gave Kahane a cheer afterward.

Leading the Beethoven from memory, Ling played it straight down the middle. There was much to admire in this clear and concise, pointed and contrasted reading, sturdily executed. Rhythmic propulsion never sagged. Still, perhaps the only truly distinctive thing about it were Michele Zukovsky’s ethereal clarinet solos in the second movement.

To begin, Ling found a great deal of the pep, sentiment and fragility in Bizet’s “Jeux d’Enfants.” Much of the vaporous beauty of Ravel’s “Pavane pour une Infante Defunte” evaporated, however, among the sounds of planes, fluorescent amplification and fidgety patrons. Be still, be still.