Susanna Malkki is one of the most exciting and in-demand conductors of her generation. So it was discouraging, when she returned to the New York Philharmonic’s podium — after a belated debut in 2015 and a second engagement last year — to see so many empty seats in David Geffen Hall.
Maybe Philharmonic audiences are still finding out about this Finnish conductor. And the program she chose may have looked a little curious on paper: Haydn’s Symphony No. 22 in E flat; Unsuk Chin’s “Su,” a concerto for the sheng (a Chinese mouth organ) and orchestra; and Richard Strauss’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra.”
But she knew what she was doing: These works share a playful thematic thread and some intriguing musical resonances. Haydn’s refined symphony earned the name “Philosopher” because of its unconventional first movement, a stately Adagio. Strauss’s epic tone poem was inspired by Nietzsche’s philosophical novel of the same name. Ms. Chin’s “Su,” composed in 2009, might seem to have been dropped in the middle. But the composer has written that her music is a reflection of her dreams, an attempt to render into sound visions of light and magnificence. So it, too, is abstract and philosophical.
“Su” was written for Wu Wei, who has played the work internationally and was the soloist here. It begins mysteriously, with Mr. Wu playing reedy, sustained tones that keep splitting into pungent chords or pinging clusters. The orchestra, as if wary of the soloist, responds with tremulous, swelling sonorities. Before long, the sheng takes charge, spinning out phrases that are sometimes elongated and delicate, sometimes skittish and menacing. The orchestra, now roused, breaks into rumbling repetitive figures and hurtling blasts.
Mr. Wu is credited with exploring untapped virtuosic and solo capacities of the sheng. Ms. Chin takes full advantage of his skills in this score. He shifted from droning chords that suggested timeless Asian music to bursts of manic, sputtered tones that sounded especially fearsome when he plunged into the bleating depths of his instrument. For an encore, he played his own frenetic, impish arrangement of “Dragon Dance,” a traditional song.
The performance of the Haydn that Ms. Malkki led suggested why the nickname “Philosopher” has stuck to the symphony. The opening Adagio unfolded at a slow, measured pace, with a walking bass line underlying a chorale-like tune. The overall mood is wise and unhurried. You can almost hear a professor patiently sharing philosophical thoughts. The playing was equally stylish in the animated Presto, lilting Menuetto and racing finale.
To conclude, Ms. Malkki drew a refreshingly transparent and probing performance of Strauss’s sumptuous tone poem, and she certainly delivered during moments when the piece is supposed to wallop you with a fortissimo din.
Ms. Malkki, in addition to being the chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland, is the principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. If only she held that post in New York — though it’s clear that the leadership team at this orchestra is high on her.
New York Philharmonic
This program repeats on Tuesday at David Geffen Hall, Manhattan; nyphil.org.
Anthony Tommasini is the chief classical music critic. He writes about orchestras, opera and diverse styles of contemporary music, and he reports regularly from major international festivals. A pianist, he holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from Boston University. @TommasiniNYT
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