Mälkki’s foundation was a rhythmic energy that constantly percolated underneath the musical surface, producing an unusually fresh rendition of Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony.
Instead of a genial respite between the Third and Fifth Symphonies, this Fourth was their eccentrically thoughtful cousin, Beethoven’s good moods just as unpredictable as his bad ones. The finale was a white-knuckled ride, but one that the orchestra can — and did — pull off. It was a terrific performance.”