Midori Soars; Philharmonic Merely Glides

Pairing music by Brahms and Dvorak makes sense for historical as well as stylistic reasons. Brahms helped his younger colleague achieve prominence, and Dvorak paid back the debt by invigorating the Germanic classical tradition with a refreshing injection of Slavonic invention and naturalness.

Still, neither composer was heard to ideal advantage in a two-part program by the Los Angeles Philharmonic led by David Zinman on Saturday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Don’t fault Midori. She was an impassioned, songful and virtuosic soloist in Dvorak’s single Violin Concerto. She captured the full measure of the work, almost at times dancing through it.

But her playing was only half of the equation.

Zinman appeared cautious and deferential, as if afraid of overpowering her. Certainly, balancing soloist and orchestra properly was important, but there was no justification for letting the orchestra play so blandly, with such little characterization.

There was no attempt to mirror Midori’s phrasing nor to challenge and inspire it. It was as if the orchestra were accompanying a Paganini concerto, playing an uninspiring part in the work, and that on automatic pilot.

Its best moments came in the magically light texture that opened the final movement.

After intermission, Zinman and the orchestra sounded more active, and engaged in a wistful, autumnal and occasionally powerful reading of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony.

This was fine as far as it went. But it turned out to be a little like watching a cathedral being built. Every important foundation block and arch was carefully put in its proper place. But many of the critical details had yet to be carved into the stone. The work remained unfinished.

Zinman relied upon contrasts for effect, shifting between gentle and aggressive phrasing and massed sound, but in doing so he allowed cumulative tension and electricity to dissipate. He would evoke strong musical statements only to soften them.

Except for the almost built-in surge of the third movement, the music rarely conveyed the composer’s energy and protest.

It reflected more acceptance than defiance and rage at the mystery of the tragic workings of life.