Violinist Giora Schmidt tore through Tchaikovsky's famously difficult "Violin Concerto" Saturday evening, apparently relishing even the thorniest of passages.

"Once considered unplayable," Giora said before the concert, "the Tchaikovsky has become almost 'run of the mill' — there are 12-year-olds now who can play this piece ... If you cannot play the Tchaikovsky, you're not a fully formed solo artist. It really tests every element.

"There's nothing that has to be altered (to make it playable), but there are sections you have to, what shall I say, worry about."

Schmidt had nothing to worry about. He played with passion and precision, pausing between movements to pull broken horsehair from his bow, a quiet testament to the music's demands.

When asked about his violin, Schmidt said: "I knew you were going to ask that. Look, we all know the great fiddles are old, Italian and expensive. Most of us have to borrow them. It's a Giovanni Baptista Guadagnini ... built in Milan, 1753."

Schmidt and his technical wizardry remained the focus of Saturday's performance, with conductor Andreas Delfs holding the orchestra in accompaniment. That approach allowed Schmidt to shine in the spotlight, much to the delight of the audience, which applauded after the first movement and gave an enthusiastic standing ovation, but it also precluded musical partnership.

In Prokofiev's Selections from "Romeo and Juliet," suites 1 and 2, and especially in Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto," Delfs read the music as having more regular and short-breathed phrasing than is idiomatic. Individual parts came through, but not the large-scale pacing or the distinctively Russian balance of chords.

Nonetheless the music, a collection of some of the most popular and well-known of classical works, was as glorious as ever: almost every theme in the Tchaikovsky; the contrast between the Montagues and the Capulets in "Romeo and Juliet"; the dramatic "Death of Tybalt"; the tender "Death of Juliet."

As bookends to the larger pieces, Delfs chose two lighter works: Mikhail Glinka's Overture to "Russian and Ludmilla," with its famous cello theme, and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."

As always, the "1812 Overture" made quite an impression. It is not the only piece that employs cannons as musical instruments — the cannon blasts are written into the score — but it is the most well-known. The piece is most fun when performed with real cannons, but surely to the relief of fire marshals everywhere, indoor orchestras generally substitute a variety of sound effects. The Honolulu Symphony used an electronic version "fired" by pianist Thomas Yee.

Commemorating Russia's defeat of Napoleon in 1812, the piece begins and ends with a hymn, progressing from solemnity in the face of war through victory, and building to one of the largest musical climaxes ever composed, replete with a cacophony of church bells played by Matt Beck.

The ending is one of thanksgiving and majestic grandeur, but on Saturday, Delfs strayed into bombast, choosing enthusiasm over craftsmanship.

The orchestra's performance was clearly intended as good fun: an opportunity for those who have never heard the piece performed live to be awed by its power — and to end the season with, literally, a big bang. Not surprisingly, the audience reacted accordingly, whooping and clapping vigorously through a second standing ovation.

Honolulu Symphony Orchestra board member Valerie Ossipoff introduced the concert by recognizing longtime musicians, including cellist Joanna Fleming (with the Honolulu Symphony for 51 years), violinist Duane White (39 years), violist Melvin Whitney (36 years), associate concertmaster Claire Sakai Hazzard (34 years), associate principal trumpeter Mark Schubert (33 years), principal bassoonist Paul H. Barrett (32 years) and principal bassist Kirby Nunez (20 years).

Ossipoff also repeated the request that opened last weekend's concerts, for contributions to the orchestra's Hana Laulima funding campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise $2 million by the end of May to fulfill the orchestra's obligations to its musicians, who have been working without pay for almost three months, and to ensure a season next year.

The campaign has raised $150,000 thus far, $40,000 from last weekend's concerts.

As part of the funding campaign, on May 23 the orchestra will hold a Symphony Fair, with an instrument "petting zoo," face painting and other activities, from noon to 5 p.m. at Kapi'olani Park near the Waikiki Shell. The fair will be capped by the final Pops concert of the season, featuring Dave Koz at the Waikiki Shell.

Admission will be $3, and all proceeds will benefit the orchestra. For further information about the fair, contact the Honolulu Symphony at 524-0815. For tickets to hear Dave Koz, call the box office at 792-2000.