Orchestra Serves as United Front

During its early years, the Mozart Camerata may have suffered from inconsistencies that plague any fledgling orchestra struggling to build personnel, financial backing and a distinctive identity, but on Saturday night, as the Camerata began its 13th performing season, it offered a vibrant display of technical confidence and musical unity.

The program, given at the Irvine Barclay Theatre and dedicated to the memory of Mother Teresa, consisted of two works composed less than a decade apart--Beethoven’s mature Violin Concerto in D, Opus 61, of 1806, and Schubert’s youthful Symphony No. 2, in B flat, D.125, written in 1814-15. In both pieces, Music Director Ami Porat led his band in multifaceted, purposeful readings.

Only the soloist in the concerto, Haroutune Bedelian, seemed not to agree with the musical intent of the group. Whereas Porat and company conveyed playfulness, poetry and triumph, Bedelian apparently found only a heroic etude, which he projected with a meaty sound, aggressive and bright passage work--often with less than true intonation--and unimaginative phrasing. During the first movement, he indulged in many slights of tempos, which Porat managed to accommodate, keeping the orchestra on track even as the soloist briefly derailed.

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Though a slightly fast Largo sacrificed some of the suspense of the introduction, nothing of the vivaciousness or charm of Schubert’s much ignored Second Symphony was missing from this performance.

Written at a time when some of the composer’s greatest Lieder were also emerging, the work brims with melodiousness and lighthearted energy, which the Camerata delivered with rhythmic precision, clear-sighted voicing and an infectious sense of fun.

The concert was repeated Sunday afternoon at St. Andrew’s church in Newport Beach.