Conducting Mehtas in Top Form at Youth Symphony Gala

Twenty years ago last month, the Mehta dynasty shared the podium at an American Youth Symphony gala benefit. The patriarch, Mehli, then 70, accompanied Daniel Barenboim in Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, after which son Zubin, having just departed L.A. for New York, led the audibly thrilled young musicians in Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8.

That was a historic occasion--indeed, Barenboim didn’t return to L.A. for 17 years--yet the encore Sunday night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was, if anything, even more emotionally supercharged. Mehli is now 90, and although conductors are a long-lived breed, very few have been active at that age. Once again, Zubin has just taken a new post (at the Bavarian State Opera), and again, a famous soloist (Midori) performed a Beethoven concerto with Mehli. And this time, a third conductor--Mehli’s successor at the American Youth Symphony, Alexander Treger--led off the concert with a remarkably fluid account of the aptly programmed Overture to “La Forza del Destino.”

With all of the emotion riding on the occasion, billed as Mehli’s last Youth Symphony gala, one wondered if the actual concert would be overwhelmed by its symbolism. In fact, the music-making was extraordinary--with no allowances made for either end of the age spectrum.

Leaning now and then on a backrest, Mehli brought forth a rapt, lingering, deeply searching accompaniment of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, lovingly examining each note as if he were bidding farewell to a lifelong friend.

He set up Midori’s first-movement entrance in a gorgeously subtle way, carefully following the soloist’s every languorous move--and she played with exceptional concentration, stretching the musical fabric without breaking it.

The performance had a hushed majesty and patience that you simply don’t encounter much anymore.

Just as extraordinary was Zubin’s performance of the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, which had all the direct thrust and excitement of a top-notch Mehta outing, perhaps more so since many of these players were approaching this work for the first time.

Whenever Zubin turned on the body English, he got an electric response from the kids--and sometimes he paid them the ultimate compliment, usually reserved for the likes of the Vienna Philharmonic; he just stood there and let them play.

Maybe that’s what it takes to bring overplayed works truly to life--young, unjaded musicians and experienced wisdom on the podium.