The weather outside was frightful, but from the looks of things, that didn’t stop most ticket holders from making the snowy trek to Hill Auditorium Tuesday night to hear the Cleveland Orchestra.

Granted there were number of empty seats as the concert began (and a few more after intermission) but by and large the house looked pretty decent considering the weather as the respected ensemble, presented by the University Musical Society and conducted by Franz Welser-Most, explored music by Wagner, Schumann and Bartok.

The centerpiece of the evening was Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, which featured piano soloist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who has been traveling with the group this season. His recent performances of this work have been greeted with tepid reviews, and I can understand why. His technique, while impeccable, was perhaps a little dispassionate in its precision — although during the second movement I found myself holding my breath as some of the notes seemed suspended in midair. I kept waiting for that extra flash of brilliance — that little something special that separates a great performance from one that’s just above average, but it never came. Audience applause was enthusiastic but not overwhelming, and there was no standing ovation.

Tuesday’s program began with Wagner’s “Overture to Tannhäuser,” with the strings shimmering and clear as a bell.

The high point of the evening, at least for me, came after intermission, courtesy Bartok’s Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, with the strings placed antiphonally on opposite sides of the stage and the piano in between. Pianist Joela Jones and keyboardist Carolyn Gadiel Warner on celesta were a rare treat, and the strings really gave their all. During the spirited fourth movement even Welser-Most seemed to loosen his restraints a bit, and the ovation that followed was well deserved.

The crowd definitely seemed to appreciate the extra warmth coming from the stage, and it provided a little extra fuel to head out into the storm. This is the second time an Ann Arbor show by the Cleveland Orchestra has been greeted by a snowstorm. Maybe next time UMS should schedule them in April.

Roger LeLievre is a free-lance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com.