Philadelphia Orchestra holds Russian coronation without the czar

By the end of the Philadelphia Orchestra's Thursday concert, you weren't sure if you wanted to give thanks to the spirit of Leopold Stokowski or posthumously arrest him for crimes against Mussorgsky. Such polarized reactions were possible during the conductor/arranger's Boris Godunov: A Symphonic Synthesis - the centerpiece of principal guest conductor Stéphane Denève's enterprising yet backward-looking Russian music concert.

Tchaikovsky was the dominating composer, first with a delicate, muted transcription of the "Andante" movement from String Quartet No. 1, also adapted by Stokowski in ways that showed how to draw listeners closer by meeting them less than halfway. The Piano Concerto No. 1 made a welcome return thanks to pianist Denis Kozhukhin. Tchaikovsky's durable war victory celebration, the 1812 Overture, ended the concert, and made sense next to the jubilation of Mussorgsky's coronation music. And the problem?

Many of Stokowski's arrangements filled repertoire gaps, his 1936 Boris Godunov synthesis coming at a time when listeners had few options for accessing the real thing. It hits the high points of the opera's Macbeth-like story of a czar who murders his way to the throne, but loses a lot without theatrical context, and especially chorus, which characterizes ever-ailing Russia.

Of course, Stokowski filled the gaps with all manner of instrumental colors; the orchestra and Denève had a feast with it. But like a Gray Line bus tour, the experience passes for a real encounter with the opera (which is widely available on DVD), even though it's not.

Voices were also missed in the 1812 Overture: The hymnlike "O Lord Save Thy People" is an optional version of the opening minutes, and might have set Thursday's performance apart from what happens most summers at the Mann Center. As it was, 1812 was performed with all the necessary effects, including digital cannon fire. But amid Denève's brisk tempos, various sections of the orchestra - perhaps unable to hear one another in the din - were either jumping the gun or in danger of making late entrances.

With a pianist like Kozhukhin, the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 couldn't fail. A slight figure sporting a blond pony tail, this 2010 winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition delivered a clean and crystalline sonority (as opposed to something large and beefy) that allowed you to hear all that the piece had to offer. He also created extra tension, with the piece's moving parts interacting with impetuous competition, creating welcome contrast between his polished exterior and the music's less-than-tidy interior. The audience went wild. His encore, Bach's Prelude in B minor (Siloti transcription) was even better.

dstearns@phillynews.com.

The program will be repeated at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Kimmel Center. Information: 215-893-1999 or www.philorch.org.