Soloists Lift Chamber Concert

Ivan Moravec was the principal guest on the latest Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra program over the weekend, in Royce Hall at UCLA and at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. But the distinguished veteran Czech pianist was not the only soloist. In a program of concertos, also featured were first-desk players of the ensemble: clarinetist Gary Gray, bassoonist Kenneth Munday, flutist David Shostac, oboist Allan Vogel and trumpeter David Washburn.

Because Samuel Barber’s “Capricorn” Concerto, Richard Strauss’ Duet-Concertino and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 are all works of skill and beauty, the agenda proved satisfying, as did the performances, under music director Jeffrey Kahane.

Still, the Friday night concert at UCLA emerged on a lower level of achievement than might have been expected.

The acoustical liveliness of the room sometimes gave audience noises more prominence than the playing. Inconsistent balances within the ensemble proved annoying; except for Moravec’s felicitous and aristocratic collaboration with the players in the piano concerto, laissez faire was often the attitude of the performances.

Even so, Washburn shone particularly in the Barber piece, so Stravinsky-like it is almost frightening; the trumpeter’s cohorts played with equal panache and virtuosity.

Gray and Munday justified, with handsome, pliable and expressive tone-painting, the pungency and lushness of Strauss’ melodious blossoms. And Moravec, through attention, focus and long, linear thinking, gave his appearance the full measure of Mozartean grace and mordancy.