Review: New faces at Orchestra Hall

This week's Minnesota Orchestra program, heard Thursday morning at Orchestra Hall, features familiar works, symphonies by Mozart and Tchaikovsky. But the concerts mark the orchestra debuts of conductor Xian Zhang and pianist Simone Dinnerstein, increasing interest.

Dinnerstein plays J.S. Bach's Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor. Bach wrote little for the keyboard (other than the organ). His piano concertos are all transcriptions, this one of a lost violin concerto. And of course, Bach would have played it on the harpsichord.

Dinnerstein's powerful playing made a strong case for hearing it on a modern piano, frequently cutting loose and dominating the orchestra that was unnecessarily restrained under Zhang. Dinnerstein vaulted over all the hurdles in the difficult solo parts.

Zhang seemed interested in achieving an almost metronomic precision; the result was dry and bloodless. What was supposed to be solemn, like the opening of the Adagio, sounded stolid. And in the dazzling Allegro finale, only Dinnerstein moved past Bach's technical wizardry to exhibit real passion.

Prague was a city that celebrated Mozart, even as he was becoming passé in Vienna. "Marriage of Figaro" was a big hit when he came to town in 1787. In response, he provided his "Prague" symphony, No. 38, his most profound to date.

Zhang was at sea in the expansive first movement, unable to do more than skate on the surface of Mozart's serious, even aggressive music. The orchestra sounded rough and out of balance.

Rhythmic inconsistencies and stodgy tempos marred the Andante, which lacked the sensuousness called for by the music. The Presto finale is based on a gossamer melody from "Figaro" and once again, Zhang missed the mark with conducting that was overly controlled.

She was limited by rhythmic inflexibility that stopped the second movement from really soaring. While she captured the charm of the waltz, the exultant finale turned merely loud and bombastic.