The London Symphony Orchestra played Santa Barbara for the first time in four decades Wednesday night. And judging by the quality of the music making, man, have we been missing out.
Led by veteran maestro Michael Tilson Thomas, who celebrated his 70th birthday in December, the virtuosic ensemble sounded absolutely spectacular. The CAMA-sponsored concert at the Granada Theatre featured three 20th-century masterpieces, and each performance proved deeply affecting.
While some conductors get more idiosyncratic or mannered as they grow older, Thomas, the longtime music director of the San Francisco Symphony, seems to be moving in the opposite direction. Taking advantage of the London orchestra’s pure, rich sound, his performances were self-effacing and acutely in touch with each composer’s style.