Baltimore Symphony 2

Usher Hall

Celebrating the centenary of his birth to the day, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra paid a fitting tribute to Leonard Bernstein on Saturday night at the Usher Hall. Opening with four movements from A Bernstein Birthday Bouquet, a set of pieces written by eight different composers to mark Bernstein’s 70th birthday, gave an intriguing insight into how distinctively each one chose to weave the common theme of Bernstein’s song New York, New York into their contribution to the birthday present.

While John Corigliano’s variation on the theme was bright and schmaltzy in the orchestra’s poised playing, Toru Takemitsu’s was much gentler in its conception. Moving onto music by the main man himself, the not often heard Serenade, which is more like a violin concerto, is a serious and reflective piece, worlds away from Bernstein’s stage works.

With Nicola Benedetti as pure-toned soloist in its meandering gravitas, it came over as introspective and subdued, the most magical moment being a love-duet between her and principal cellist, Dariusz Skoraczewski. Few conductors have the bond with Bernstein that the Baltimore’s Music Director Marin Alsop was able to form through being his student.

The symphonic dances from West Side Story swaggered into characterful life, gaining from her detailed, but never over-fussy dynamic style. Not always snappy and completely together rhythmically, both here and in the final Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, the orchestra nonetheless plays with a communicative warmth that well-suited Bernstein’s much loved scores.