Metallica, Symphony Do Fiery Rearranging

Mixing rock ‘n’ roll and symphonic sound is a risky proposition whose results often depend on whether the philharmonic approach is intended to tame rock’s unruly passion (Muzak) or fan the flames (the Who’s “Quadrophenia”).

Michael Kamen, the celebrated film composer and conductor who also has worked over the years on projects with such rock figures as Pink Floyd and Aerosmith, understands the fiery soul of rock as, most certainly, does Metallica, one of the most commanding hard-rock bands of the last two decades.

So the music proved both engaging and blazing when Kamen and Metallica joined forces with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday at the Berkeley Community Theatre for the first of two performances.

Beyond the mix of musical approaches, the setting itself was unusual for Metallica fans, who are accustomed to seeing the band in arenas or stadiums rather than the intimacy of a 3,600-seat room.

For a while the enthusiastic crowd seemed torn between sitting and standing, but ultimately the music kept people on their feet as Metallica played with the same force you’d expect in a normal arena show. The 20 selections on the program (including two new numbers) spanned the band’s career.

Rather than reinvent the songs as classical pieces (which Finnish string quartet Apocalyptica has already done so adeptly on record), Kamen artfully rearranged them.

Sometimes--such as on “Sad but True,” one of the band’s most intense numbers--the orchestra’s input was subtle, a few flashy brass flourishes or sawing strings accenting the guitar riffs. At other times, Kamen’s arrangements added striking textures and enhanced the monumental quality of the music.

During “Fuel,” the horn section kicked the grinding groove into overdrive, and the added firepower of the entire orchestra expanded “One” and “Master of Puppets” (which are structured like scaled-down symphonies to begin with) to truly epic proportions.

As startling as this collaboration might have seemed to some, the outcome was a synthesis of music and musicianship that flowed in perfect harmony.