Listener's experienced a whole panoply of musical experiences at this
weeks Boston Symphony subscription concerts conducted by guest Robert
Spano. The program began with the American premier of Finland composer
Magnus Lindberg's "Arena For Orchestra" (1994-95) and ended with two
works of Romantic composer Jean Sibelius.  Of the contemporary "Arena...,"
Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe described it as a "...piece with high
shimmer, like sunlight striking water, brilliant, but also subtle in its
variety of movements and hues..." It also includes a subtle dance before
extending into a seemingly infinite universe of sounds enhanced with
various percussion, a more than casual reminiscence of the meandering
music of Sibelius which would occur at the close of the program.

Thursday was approximately my third concert experience with conductor
Spano. On this evening the BSO players performed well beyond their
less-than-inspired standard for Ozawa.  This is their usual manner for
a guest conductor, of course.  It may be that the orchestra needs a
conductor with Spano's "persuasive" powers on the podium.  He has very
large shoulders proportional to his height.  Although not tall, Robert
Spano seems to loom over the orchestra and he perhaps intimidates the
players into doing his will...sort of like Toscanini, Szell and Reiner of
old.  Through very strong body movement Spano communicates unambiguously -
unlike Szell's legendary lack of beat-which also seems to complement normal
rhythmic direction from the right hand.  Obviously the new Lindberg work,
by its sheer novelty, demanded special attention from the players.

Swiss Andreas Haefliger soloed expertly ("...elegance, refinement and
taste" as described by Dyer) in the Beethoven Piano Concerto #2 which
seemed to me to be a rather routine performance by the orchestra.  Dyer
thought the orchestra rather dark and heavy with vibrato.  The soloist's
control of dynamics was outstanding throughout.  Mr. Haefliger IMHO seems
to be charismatically challenged.  One would wish a pianist would show some
enthusiasm in his expression when performing the inspiring creation of a
great master.  The poker faced Andreas worked very hard at evincing a smile
only when called back twice by the applause of an appreciative audience.
No Yo Yo Ma or Itzak Pearlman, he.

Following intermission the orchestra performed Sibelius very short
and poetic "Swan of Tuonela" followed by the "Symphony #3 in C", opus
52.  English horn Soloist Robert Sheena and Cellist Martha Babcock made
outstanding contributions during their respective roles in these well
performed works.  (I personally find Sibelius creations troubling as his
music seems to meander all over the lot with seemingly dozens of rhythmic
fits and starts made up of loosely combined musical ideas.)

Reports indicate that Spano's regular Brooklyn Symphony audiences
benefit from an enlightened repertory policy which includes one piece
of contemporary material on EVERY program.  Patrons are very fortunate
to have him, whatever his executive and artistic modes.

Bernard Gregoire
HIngham, MA