In last night's all-Ravel opening program at Symphony Hall, the full awesomeness of James Levine's command of the orchestra only really showed during the closing piece, the Second Suite from Daphnis et Chloe. It was especially noticeable in the final few minutes, with waves of mini-crescendoes in which he demonstrated his vivid control of the band, drawing out colors and momentum with his baton and free hand, then dousing them with precision. This was great fun to watch, never mind hear. In the quieter portions of this piece as well as the brief opener, "Alborada," the winds shone with fluid and lovely yet clear lines, passages that remind how much Gershwin was influenced by Ravel.
The long mid-section of the short evening was not as wonderful. Soloist Susan Graham seemed precise but not exactly on fire with the material in Sheherazade, and the audience, which usually goes gaga when Levine brings in one of his opera stars, seemed to notice. And I can't say I'm especially fond of the Piano Concerto in G, or maybe it's just the soft, flowery style of guest soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who also made the unfortunate decision to try to bring back lapels.
If you want to read someone with a more finely tuned ear and more appropriate vocabulary, Jeremy Eichler gets it all right in the Globe. Additional performances tonight and tomorrow with a slightly different program; see bso.org.
BSO file photo by Michael Lutch
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