Impenetrable Concerto, Definitive ‘Firebird’

Since his first visit to Southern California 39 years ago, Pierre Boulez has been surprising and delighting his followers with new works, new looks at older works and fresh approaches to the repertory.

The French conductor-composer’s second-week program with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which began Thursday night, offered the delights of Stravinsky’s Four Etudes, a complete and definitive revival of the same composer’s “Firebird” ballet score and a sporting but disappointing United States premiere: Harrison Birtwistle’s piano concerto “Antiphonies.”

Boulez has been accused of being able to clarify any music put before him, but Birtwistle’s 33-minute work, a co-commission from Betty Freeman (for the L.A. Philharmonic) and Vincent Mayer (for the Philharmonia Orchestra of London) severely tested that ability.

In the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, and with pianist Mitsuko Uchida as soloist, the concerto proved impenetrable on first hearing, as well as raucous, monochromatic and fragmented. Protagonists Uchida, Boulez and the orchestra gave every evidence of laying it out reasonably and affectionately, but over a long half-hour, the piece’s lack of charms and its failure to engage the listener proved irritating.

One color fits all, “Antiphonies” seems to proclaim, and an unvarying grayness was painted over the proceedings: insect sounds from busy and high-lying upper strings, threatening and steady meanderings from the lower brass, exotic chirps from pitched percussion, the whole orchestra drawn upon for fragmentation of the atonal materials.

The rest of the program reiterated Boulez’s gift for revelations and epiphanies, particularly the dynamically compelling, beautifully shaped and irresistible sweep of “Firebird.” As usual, Boulez leaves us with cherishable memories.

* The Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pierre Boulez conducting, with piano soloist Mitsuko Uchida, repeats this program in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion tonight at 8 and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (213) 365-3500. $6-$58.