Music: Centennial at Symphony

Boston celebrates with a bash—and world premieres

Mstislav Rostropovich was there, wrapping his cello in a warm Russian bear hug as he dashed off two movements of a Haydn concerto. Violinists Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern were on hand too, the picture of collegial conviviality in a Vivaldi double concerto. Soprano Leontyne Price, the diva di tutte le dive, sang arias by Verdi, Richard Strauss and Puccini with resplendent warmth and freshness. And there was Pianist Rudolf Serkin, happily singing along as he performed in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy. At the end, Isaac Stern struck...