A Serious, Commanding Debut

Assessing an unfamiliar conductor has everything to do with how that leader makes the orchestra sound, much less with how the conductor looks and behaves. Nevertheless, Keri-Lynn Wilson, who made her debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday night, made a strong impression in both areas.

Her serious demeanor on the podium is certainly a positive factor; more important, the orchestra’s alert response to her leadership displayed her musical accomplishment in a way mere visual signals could only indicate.

The Canadian conductor’s brief but well-considered program showed admirable thought and contrast.

The first half revealed unfamiliar transcriptions of familiar music by Leonard Bernstein--who, were he still alive, would celebrate his 81st birthday Saturday. There were solo arrangements for violin and orchestra of the song “Make Our Garden Grow,” from “Candide,” a suite from “West Side Story” and, for an encore, “New York, New York,” from “On the Town.” After intermission, Wilson led a stylish, lively, thoroughly detailed reading of Brahms’ Second Symphony.

Imperturbable Joshua Bell was the virtuosic, charismatic soloist in the Bernstein pieces, investing fresh energy into these well-worn melodies, jumping the many technical hurdles constructed by transcribers John Corigliano and William David Brohn, and making it all seem new.

These transcriptions are brilliant but trap-filled, and they challenge the violinist with complicated difficulties at every turn. Bell, as usual, not only conquered the hurdles but made light of them. He is exciting, insouciant and unflappable all at the same time. Wilson’s collaboration, with the ever-resourceful L.A. Philharmonic, was total--it probably helped that she and Bell are the same age, 34.

Brahms turned out to be the bonus on this most satisfying Tuesday night. As was evident in her alert, aggressive national anthem, Wilson chooses tempos that are both propulsive and songful; everything moves, but everything sings. The Second Symphony, perhaps the most lyric of the composer’s four symphonies, needs a firm hand that lets the music breathe; it had one this time around.