Mozart's Piano Concerto in F major, K459, is admittedly not the composer's most profound contribution to the genre. Yet this performance, directed by guest conductor James Judd, highlighted the peril of making Mozart's dramatic music seem little more than just pleasant. This was a performance that could not cause offence, yet it was not likely to stimulate; it seemed articulate while having nothing particular to say.
The Hallé, thinned down to a chamber ensemble, were compact and tidy. Yet, at the end of a season in which they have proved how stylishly they can play 18th-century music, it was disappointing that soloist Steven Osborne's playing was emotionally cool, though accomplished.
Some of the rapid passages were slightly blurred by over-reliance on the pedal, and occasionally trills were unduly heavy and exaggerated. The central Allegretto, tinged with melancholy, was far more satisfying. The last movement was inquisitive rather than exciting, yet it completed a performance that seemed to settle and improve as it unfurled.
The Hallé was back to its normal shape for Mahler's Fifth Symphony. The opening solo trumpet was magnificent, and the intrusion of spectacular effects such as a side drum resembling a machine gun suggested this Mahler would be full of thrills. But Judd's direction was detailed, and his rhetorical approach to the first movement accentuated the Viennese elegance of Mahler's score.
After a theatrical second movement, the core of the symphony featured some wonderful playing by the Hallé: an affectionate Landler, fulsome pizzicato and superbly controlled horn calls were all highlights of its contribution. While Judd's management of the music brought some interesting details to the fore, it did not add up to an overwhelming whole. The Adagietto was direct and beautifully layered, yet it was ultimately short on sentimentality. The grand conclusion was appropriate, though plain-speaking.
Despite Judd's modest and coherent direction - or perhaps because of it - this performance was musically alert, philosophically aware, yet far too short on emotional intensity.
