Conductor/Pianist Jeffrey Kahane

SOLO BRILLIANCE IN SANTA ROSA SYMPHONY CONCERT

In a program widely advertised as Kahane Returns, the former Santa Rosa Symphony conductor’s performance at the piano Feb. 17 was almost upstaged by a potent performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 and a sensuous small orchestra piece in its local premiere.

If memory serves Mr. Kahane made his SRS audition and initial performances with the Beethoven G Major Concerto, and here he again conducted it from the piano. He has played the Op. 58 throughout his career, eschewing forays into major repertoire concertos and the wealth of lesser heard repertoire works. Well, he has been busy with conducting stints in Los Angeles, Denver and worldwide, but has been uninterested in exploring his instrument’s rich lode of concertos. Even the cadenzas he chose were the standard Beethoven, where a choice from 15 others might have generated new interest and shed new light on an overperformed work.

Well, how was it played? Very well, but also a relaxed and understated conception with slow tempos throughout. How slow? Three minutes less than the usual readings, but in many ways his interpretation to this masterpiece from 1806 was ingratiating, with stretched out phrasing, bantamweight endings to thematic statements, ample ritards, sensitive trills and small left-hand accents. The composer’s first-movement cadenza had a jocular character.

The Andante con moto’s laconic mystery was well suited to Mr. Kahane’s reading and the orchestra managed splendid quiet playing. The finale featured strong sforzandos and potent string playing, the pianist managing to get enough performance cues (many head movements) from the keyboard and when standing.

There was a standing ovation and a surprise, as Mr. Kahane returned to the stage for an encore that was not the expected Chopin study or Mendelssohn lieder ohne worte. Over more than five minutes he performed a captivating lyrical transcription of the 1882 hymn tune America the Beautiful. Some suspected Keith Jarrett was the composer, but others suspected the pianist himself. Marvelous.

Following the Concerto was a beguiling work for chamber orchestra, Nokuthula Ngwenyama’s Primal Message. Over 11 minutes the SRS produced a lush, warm sound for harp (Dan Levitan), percussion and strings. The muddy program notes for the 2020 work (25,000 light years; interstellar radio waves; DNA structure; binary anthropomorphic organization to globular M13) added nothing to the audience’s palpable delight with the often contemplative character of the music, with fine solos from cellist Adelle-Akiko Kearns and celesta player Kymry Esainko. A lovely SRS premiere, the sound reminiscent of a bucolic Alan Hovhaness’ score.

The concert concluded with the crackling energy of Shostakovich’s F Minor Symphony No. 1, Op. 10. Taking the baton, Mr. Kahane drew a thrilling performance over 36 minutes from the large SRS musicians, commanding the large-scale structure in four movements. The composer’s signature sounds were everywhere on vibrant display - blaring brass, peppery snare and bass drums, wind duos, divided solo strings, a piano part that could actually be heard and Andrew Lewis’ mighty solo timpani crescendos in the Allegro Molto.

Especially memorable were exemplary duos in the second movement from flutist Kathleen Lane Reynolds; Roy Zajac (clarinet); hornist Meredith Brown and Carla Wilson (bassoon). Additional thematic solos came from violinist Joseph Edelberg and oboist Laura Reynolds.

The conductor drove the finale to a powerful sonic climax, with more standout solos from Ms. Akiko Kearns and tubist Scott Choate. A roaring ovation from the 800 in Weill Hall followed as Mr. Kahane was called back to the stage and waded into his musicians, recognizing many to stand for more applause

Additional concerts of the same program were heard Feb. 18 and 19.