POISE, GRACE DEFINE VIOLIN CONCERTO'S STRENGTH.

Byline: David Mermelstein Correspondent

Points of tangency dominated the Los Angeles Philharmonic's program Thursday night. For the second week in a row, violinist Joshua Bell was the featured soloist. Last week, under Herbert Blomstedt's baton, he played Mendelssohn's famous Violin Concerto. This week, under Jonathan Nott's, he played Brahms'.

Last week, Schubert's Symphony No. 9 (the ``Great C major'') was on the program. This week, Schubert's Symphony No. 6 (the ``Little C major'').

But similar is not synonymous with same. And no one hearing both programs could find anything monotonous in them, especially given the very different personalities of Nott and Blomstedt. Whereas Blomstedt offered a meek podium presence but unleashed great musical storms, especially in the Schubert, Nott is something of a podium grandstander capable of enviable delicacy in his musical expression, as his lithe and charm-filled account of the ``Little C major'' Symphony eloquently demonstrated.

Nott was able to take mighty forces -- six double basses among them -- and make them sound like a chamber ensemble, coaxing the Philharmonic toward a relaxed but unified sound. Not that the conductor couldn't be fierce when required.

Still, it was poise and elegance that carried the day, with a real lightness to the textures and especially toothsome playing from the woodwinds.

Yet such sorcery was nothing compared with what Nott managed in the program's second half, the Brahms Concerto. It was as if a different orchestra had taken the stage -- not a better one necessarily, but a richer, darker, deeper one.

Vibrancy a surprise

Too often, the opening of this concerto comes off as a frustrating wait for the soloist to enter. But this time, such was the vibrancy of the orchestra that the violin solo came almost as a surprise -- as if, oh, yes, this is a concerto, isn't it?

Not that there was anything lacking in Bell's performance. Indeed, his songful playing was obviously heartfelt. And what he lacked in luscious tone, he made up for in focus, even in the agitated passages. As he did with the Mendelssohn last week, Bell composed his own cadenza for the first movement. It was, once again, well-

crafted, technically challenging and perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the concerto.

Gypsy passion

Lovers of this concerto inevitably anticipate the gorgeous theme played by oboe that opens the second movement. Thanks to Marion Arthur Kuszyk's natural, unforced playing they were not disappointed. Bell, too, was up to the slow movement's challenges, considerable given the music's melting quality. And in the swift finale, Bell summoned real gypsy passion without succumbing to schmaltz.

Here, too, Nott offered more than typical token support, providing propulsive but hardly rushed playing and encouraging the brasses to piquantly accent the music.

The program opened with a seemingly out-of-place work, Hans Werner Henze's ``Erlkonig'' from 1996. Yet this brief piece was a perfect fit for the evening.

Its title is the same as one of Schubert's best-known songs, and the music itself quotes liberally from that piece. But beyond the cleverness of its design, this busy work for large orchestra offers attractive colors, engaging harmonies and a marvelous concluding crescendo.

JONATHAN NOTT CONDUCTS THE L.A. PHILHARMONIC, WITH VIOLINIST JOSHUA BELL - Three and one half stars

Where: Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

What: Guest conductor Jonathan Nott leads the orchestra in Henze's ``Erlkonig,'' Schubert's Symphony No. 6 and Brahms' Violin Concerto.

When: 2 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets: $15 to $135. [phone] or www.laphil.com.

In a nutshell: Conductor Jonathan Nott makes a welcome return to the Philharmonic as violinist Joshua Bell concludes a fruitful residency with the orchestra.