Saturday night's avid concert by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra aimed to make an impression with variety, beauty and power.

It succeeded partially, often glorious but sometimes merely a study in adequacy.

Perhaps this is an indicator of good things, however. Over time, the MSO has become more consistently good, raising its own standards in quality and adventurousness. In fact, the orchestra itself was in fine form but other elements made it just so-so.

Saturday's performance (repeated Sunday at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre) was led by guest conductor Mei-Ann Chen, one of the candidates to replace retiring music director David Loebel.

Chen is indisputably gifted, a whirlwind of energy and passion who elicits similar feelings from the players. In a Q&A with the audience after the performance, she stressed that the conductor was there not just to give the cues "but to unlock the keys." On the podium, she labors to show the results of her detective work, finding out what the composer intended in the deepest possible ways.

The opening piece was "The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot" from John Adams' opera "Nixon in China" and the MSO nailed it. Adams' minimalist approach provides a neat framework for some fascinating, gossamer passages and yeah, you can dance to it, too. Would that it were a more involving work and a little less background for the dance scene that it supports.

Next up was the gorgeous Dvorak Cello Concerto in B minor with Julie Albers as guest artist. The orchestra under Chen was solid although, unfortunately, it had all of the passion. The heat was there to share and Albers offered a few masterful moments, but overall the cellist's dutiful realization was perfunctory and pallid.

Closing the evening was Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, something Chen wanted to serve up not only for its enduring popularity but for its challenge to hold together.

The first movement started out at breakneck speed, robust and animated with Chen fully in control.

The dynamic continued through the remaining movements with the MSO sometimes wobbly, but far more often dead on. It was shimmery and soft when it needed to be, thunderous and profound when called on.

In all, it was an evening falling shy of perfection but inhabited by numerous exultant moments.