Like the rest of the world, the New York Philharmonic is on a Mozart jag, and they played an all-Mozart concert on Wednesday evening.This was an unusual kind of concert: It began at 6:45, and it offered two-thirds of the current subscription program (no intermission). I’ll explain further in a moment.

The concert also offered commentary by the musicologist-performer behind the notorious P.D.Q. Bach. Yes, this evening was one in a series billed “Inside the Music With Peter Schickele.”

Mr. Schickele looks like a great, lovable nature man, with his bushy beard and casual, comfortable clothes.You remember the granola pitchman, Ewell Gibbons? That’s the look I’m talking about. And on this evening, he was fluent as usual, and also amusing and wise.

Mr. Schickele began by talking about the greatness – the unique greatness – of Western music, with its notation, complexity, etc. We’re not talking about a mere melody, drone, and beat. That was – that is – Ravi Shankar. Not very often do you hear Western music praised these days, for not often do you hear anything Western praised. Seeming to realize this, Mr. Schickele made sure to say, “I hope nobody thinks I’m putting down non-Western music. I love it. But we tend to take Western music for granted.”

Do we ever.

In his half-hour upon the stage, Mr. Schickele displayed his talent for musical demonstration, not using the piano resting next to him – just his voice. He also displayed a related talent: that for mimicry (of people, as well as instruments).When he did sit down at that piano,he played “Ain’t Misbehavin’,”both straight (dully) and gussied up. He remarked that,”after the first verse, cocktail pianists get paid by the note.”

Would you like another bon mot from Mr. Schickele? In today’s world, organists are the only musicians taught to improvise. Why’s that? Because, in church, “you never know how long it’s going to take to pass the plate.”

Indeed, the main theme of his commentary was improvisation – especially in Mozart piano concertos, both within cadenzas and without. In due course, he called on the evening’s piano soloist (and conductor): Jeffrey Kahane. At one point, they sat down at the keyboard together – out came “Heart and Soul.” This was a musical highlight of the evening.

The funny stuff over – not that Mr. Schickele is a mere cutup – Mr. Kahane turned to two Mozart piano concertos: No. 17 in G major, K. 453, and No. 20 in D minor, K. 466.The rest of the program – on regular subscription nights – gives you Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante in E flat, K. 364, in which two Philharmonic players serve as soloists: Michelle Kim, violin, and Rebecca Young, viola.

Mr. Kahane has long maintained a two-pronged career, as pianist and conductor. Currently, he is music director of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, as well as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. (L.A. is his hometown.)

A small, lively man, Mr.Kahane is tidy and vibrant in his conducting. He is fairly tidy and vibrant in his playing, too – maybe more vibrant than tidy. The Gmajor concerto was not without sloppiness.For instance, Mr.Kahane tended to overpedal, and to blur his passagework. Also, he sometimes played percussively, banging notes – slapping them – when more of a caress would have done.

The slow movement of this concerto – in the rather unexpected key of C major – is a gorgeous thing. Mr. Kahane socked a couple of notes, but, on the whole, he played lyrically and thoughtfully. And Robert Langevin made beautiful contributions on his flute.

As for the D-minor concerto, Mr. Kahane began it fairly fast, but not obnoxiously so. It stayed on the happy side of hurried.Very unfortunately, Mr. Kahane began the piano part with lots of rubato (license with tempo). He didn’t even play the first note on its beat.These initial measures deserve more straightforwardness – if you want to loosen up later on, fine (sort of).

In the course of the first movement, Mr. Kahane suffered a breakdown; he went off the rails for about 10 worrisome seconds. But he was able to recover, and he and the orchestra moved on.

I might say, too, that he did his most beautiful playing in the cadenza of this movement (the cadenza by Beethoven).This was particularly so in its B-major portion.

As for the ensuing two movements – the Romanza and the Rondo – they were okay, if nothing to write home about. Mr. Kahane is reliable, even if he doesn’t send you to musical heaven. And I should record that, using music, he turned his own pages. To play, conduct, and turn your own pages – that’s versatility.