Pablo Casals once encouraged Anton Webern to travel to Barcelona to conduct the orchestra Casals had founded there. On the program, among other works, was the Symphony No. 5 of Beethoven. Webern ordered three days of rehearsal and, after the second one, was asked by a reporter how the ensemble was progressing. “Good,” the eminent musicologist replied, “we have the da-dada-DUH almost to where I want it!”

What does this have to do with the concert given Sunday afternoon at Zankel Hall by soloists of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra? Well, the featured work was Webern’s quintet arrangement of Arnold Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony that mirrored the instrumentation of his masterpiece Pierrot Lunaire. Schoenberg took the two works on a performing tour of Spain in 1925 and it was on this journey that he cemented the relationship with Casals that led not only to conducting stints for both Viennese composers, but also was the genesis for Schoenberg composing a Cello Concerto for Casals.

This miniaturized version of a modern classic received a thrilling performance led by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard who, having grown up in the home of Olivier Messiaen, must consider the Schoenberg a sacred text. Mr. Aimard drove his mates hard in this high-energy rendition, and they responded with unbridled enthusiasm.

The sidemen were all top tier players from the orchestra that Claudio Abbado designed to be modular, “ringers” if you will, who dominate the performances of the larger ensemble. All four (Ilya Gringolts, violin, Clemens Hagen, cello, Wolfgang Meyer, clarinet, and Jacques Zoon, flute) seemed thoroughly invested in digging deeply into this complex score, which was a reaction by Schoenberg to the elephantiasis of the fin-de-siècle orchestral trend of ever larger ensembles. Here themes are stated, developed, recapitulated and varied but, rather than being expanded upon, they are contracted, distilled.

Webern resists the temptation to give it all to the piano, but still the keyboard has much to do, and Mr. Aimard handled his part with flair and drama. Mr. Hagen possesses a fabulous tone and attacked his instrument so vehemently that I feared for its safety. Lines were distinct and well enunciated and Webern’s unique colors, especially in the flute, were captured brilliantly. This doesn’t occur often at chamber concerts, but there sounded like what can only be described as a war whoop from one member of the audience at the work’s heart-pounding conclusion.

Maurice Ravel came to Vienna, Austria to play at Schoenberg’s Society for Private Musical Performances. On the program this afternoon was his A Minor Piano Trio, delivered in rather a spotty version. Messrs. Hagen and Aimard were joined by violinist Mirijam Contzen, but their blended sound was a tad unsatisfying. Mr. Hagen again carried the day with his gorgeous resonance, but Ms. Contzen was much too prosaic for Ravel, oddly mastering the more exotic sounds, such as the ponticello effects, but intoning the bulk of her part without much color. I realize that not everyone can be George Enesco, but she did not seem to feel the need to broaden her tone to fit this shimmering music. Mr. Aimard, for a Frenchman, was a little dispassionate in the piece as well and not at his best at hitting all of the notes.

Mozart would be amazed that his music was still being played in the 21st century, but I imagine that he would also be stunned by how many differing styles are currently employed. Violist Simone Jandl and cellist Rafael Rosenfeld teamed with Ms. Contzen and Mr. Aimard for what can only be described as an idiosyncratic reading of the G Minor Piano Quartet, replete with big, Romantic gestures, fast and loose phrasing, and uncompromisingly modern sound. Mr. Aimard fudged a good deal in this performance, often dwelling only in the neighborhood of the correct notes. At the end of the day, he only seemed inspired when playing Schoenberg.