Luisi and Tetzlaff with the Philadelphia Orchestra

Luisi, the principal conductor of the Metropolitan Opera (succeeding James Levine), molded the orchestra to the breathing of his soloist, just as he does with his star singers. Tetzlaff, for his part, has a warm, caressing tone, like a vocalist. His smooth, gentle sound benefits from Luisi’s tender care.

The collaboration of the conductor also was essential when Tetzlaff employed an old-style portamento (graceful slide) into the fast melody of the final movement. With give-and-take hesitations (rubati), Luisi and Tetzlaff evoked memories of golden age interpretations. There was nothing routine or mechanized here. It’s too bad the Inquirer critic didn’t appreciate this. Or maybe everything was different at the performance he had attended the previous day. That’s the thrill that sometimes happens at a live concert.

The conductor and soloist provided a contrast in appearance. Luisi wore long tails with a grey vest and trousers; the 49-year-old German violinist wore a black T-shirt with casual pants and jacket — another indication that dress doesn’t matter in music-making. The center of attention at concerts usually is on the visiting soloist, and that certainly was the case here. The pieces before and after Tetzlaff's appearance were familiar crowd-pleasers.

The orchestral work after intermission was Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique, a favorite of Eugene Ormandy during his four-decade tenure as conductor and recorded by the Philadelphians seven times on five different record labels. Luisi’s interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s final, and most emotional, creation was straightforward, slow, steady, and powerful. This orchestra cannot be equaled when it digs into such lush material. Special beauty was provided by the low strings, cellos and basses, during the quiet start and the cathartic ending of the piece.