When I came back to classical music a few years ago, I read Jim Svedja's "Guide to the Classical Repertoire," where he refers to Vivaldi's music as being for "BMW drivers." I didn't (and don't) know exactly what that means, but perhaps it created a bias that took a while to overcome. Now I am collecting some of the wonderful Opus 111 series, and I also have two discs from the Venice Baroque Orchestra, featuring Giuliano Carmignola. I love them all, and I am no nearer to being a BMW-owner. So about a year ago when the programs were listed for the first year at Disney Hall, I knew I would have to attend the 2/8 concert - a visit by Carmignola and the VBO in an all-Vivaldi program. Somewhere along the way Cecilia Bartoli scheduled a recital for that afternoon, so I went to both (the VBO played at 7:30). What a day. The VBO were to be led from the keyboard by Andrea Marcon, but he was announced as ill, and in fact, many of the small group (I counted 16) coughed during the concert, and when Carmignola joined them as soloist after a sinfonia and concerto for strings, he also looked a bit under the weather - continually wiping his brow and letting out at least one wicked cough. For once, the orchestra was as noisy as the audience! Nonetheless, the concert was splended. Disney Hall may have intimacy built into its design in terms of audience closeness to the stage, but it is still a big hall. At times, the music felt a bit distant for me, up in the balcony. The eeire, almost droning adagios and largos of Vivaldi didn't communicate quite as well as the percussive, dancing allegros. The first half featured violin concertos 257, which doesn't seem to be recorded at the moment, and 177, which was on a recent Carmignola disc. The second half was given over to the "Four seasons," which everyone may know (wink wink). Carmignola wanted no applause between sections of the individual concertos, so the set truly came across as a suite. It even felt vaguely symphonic - a warm opening ("spring"), slower music ("summer"), and ending with a dramatic flair ("winter"). With the orchestra not seeming in the best of health, and myself rather tired, I left amid the cascade of applause that followed the "Four Seasons." I learned from the newspaper review that Carmignola and the VBO went on to do several encores, all Vivaldi! That's what I get for rushing to the parking lot. HOWEVER - on 2/14 I returned to Disney Hall for Gergeiv leading the LA Phil in a rare Rimsky-Korsakov "opener" - the tuneful march "Dubinushka," Prokofiev's Symphony 7, and "Pictures at an Exhibition." This concert also ended with a wild standing ovation that went on for minutes, and I stayed, but there was to be no encore. I suppose Gergiev had had no time to prepare one with the Phil. A shame. I saw Gergeiv and his Kirov at Carnegie Hall two years ago in an all-Prokofiev program, and the evening ended with a blistering "Ruslan and Ludmilla" overture. I was hoping for a reprise, or something similar. I didn't know Prokofiev's 7 very well, though he is one of my favorite composers, so I had got out my only version, from Jarvi's complete set. I heard attractive moments, but couldn't seem to grasp the larger structure. Boy, did Gergiev put it across. This was the sort of performance that makes one wonder why a composition isn't part of the standard repertoire. The charm and vivacity of the animated sections, suggesting children at play, effortlessly blended with the somewhat more nostalgic, aching music. I will have to look around for another recorded performance of this symphony, but what I hope is that Gergiev puts together a symphony cycle. Frankly, I was prepared to be bored by the "Pictures" - not that I dislike the piece, but I have heard it (only on recordings) a few too many times. Yes, Gergiev brought it to roaring life. His baton came down a fraction of a second after he turned to conduct, and we were off. People all over my section were leaning forward, drawn into the performance. A palpable tension filled the hall as the climax approached. I have seen some standing ovations at Disney Hall, more than I recall at the Dorothy Chandler, but usually those SOs happened gradually - a few folk stand, then a few more, then a section, etc. I'd say almost 90% of the audience stood AS ONE at the end of the "Pictures." But no encore. Oh well. Gergeiv had to have been exhausted - he is a very physical conductor. I would like to have been in one of the rear orchestra view seats for this performance - he must have been something to watch. So two fine February Disney hall concerts. Upcoming for me - Miguel Harth-Bedoya conducts Golijov, Piazzolla (the wild bandeneon concerto) and Ginastera, and Mathias Goerne sings the baritone half of "Knaben Wunderhorn" on a program with Shostakovich 9, as Salonen continues the five-year Shostakovich cycle. C Mullins Los Angeles