The Bernstein, dating from 1949, was inspired by W.H. Auden's epic poem of the same name, about three men and a woman who meet in wartime New York. It's virtually — or at least almost — a piano concerto.

Bernstein elaborated a program for the piece, but one can be captivated by purely musical effects as various as the sinuous intertwining of clarinets in the prologue, the suavely evolving variations, the dark atonality of "The Dirge," passages of nearly romantic effusion and the final affirmation. Given the linking of the sections, though, at least structural supertitles would have been helpful here, too.

The performance made a compelling case for one of Bernstein's strongest works. The orchestra responded keenly to Robertson's clear and knowing direction, and pianist Orli Shaham played with authority and élan. Subsequent performances will probably be tauter. But that Firebird alone is worth the ticket price.

Read the whole review at this link.