There’s a common misconception – a myth, really – that “great” orchestras play well for every conductor, in every situation. It’s even got some traction in the realm of the orchestral musicians (most particularly in so-called “great” orchestras). I’ve heard, during my years in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia, many incredibly sub-par performances, both with their music directors and with guests. It’s not just a case of “garbage in, garbage out”, either. Sometimes a conductor doesn’t bring their A-game, sometimes they do, but the orchestra doesn’t agree. In some cases, the orchestra respects the conductor, and goes along with what they want, even if it isn’t particularly inspired.
It’s hard to hear that one’s ensemble must not be that good since we didn’t manage to play a completely different interpretation of a piece than the conductor’s. Please! It would be so incredibly disrespectful to do that, and unprofessional as well. In addition, it’s easy for a wind or brass soloist to shine under less than ideal circumstances: they’re playing by themselves – they don’t have to get 10 or 16 other string players to phrase the same way, and their power comes from their very prominence in the orchestral texture – in most cases the conductor has no choice but to follow them, and so the rest of the orchestra as well.
In the end, I guess it’s safe to trust the audience’s reaction which, for this series of concerts, was very positive (both in their reaction to the performances and the sheer amount of seats sold). There’s more than one way to get the job done, and when done musically and with conviction, any approach can be valid.