There was no question about the response of both the Seattle Symphony musicians and their audience to visiting maestro Stéphane Denève: They like him, they really like him. Thursday night's first of three concerts in a mostly French program was a jolt of electricity from start to finish, with the players and piano soloist Frank Braley clearly energized by Denève's approach to the four works at hand.

The young French conductor made the most of his second visit to Seattle, leading the orchestra in a highly demonstrative style in which he mimed the effects of the music in every line of his body. Even his hair was an expressive device. (Denève bears a passing resemblance to Schubert, with his spectacles and wildly curly hair.)

The French-accented concert went from strength to strength, from the opener (an exuberant reading of Stravinsky's "Jeu de cartes") to the concerto (the Ravel G Major) and the final pair of works (Fauré's "Pelléas et Mélisande" Suite and Debussy's "Ibéria").

Braley made a splendid impression in the Ravel concerto, with its snappy, bluesy opening, and was even better in the languorous, deeply personal second movement, where Stefan Farkas also contributed a delicious English horn solo. Harpist Valerie Muzzolini was spot on in her beautiful accompaniment. After the boisterous finale, a beaming Denève called on one section after another to rise for special applause, until finally the whole orchestra was standing. The ovation, for Braley and for the orchestra, was thunderous.

The Fauré was all elegant simplicity and grace; the high-voltage Debussy was flamboyant, and there was splendid solo work: Flutist Scott Goff and oboist Ben Hausmann were tops, and it's good to see Christopher Sereque back in the principal clarinet chair after an injury. Frank Almond, in his first appearance as one of the orchestra's four new concertmasters, contributed some stylish solo work. Catch this one if you can; it's a terrific match of conductor, soloist, program and players.

Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@seattletimes.com