Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2

I am now officially on spring break (such as it is) and I can think of no better way to begin the long weekend than by hearing Rachmaninoff performed by the Utah Symphony at Abravanel Hall.  The concert last night was an incredible experience and it took away all of the stresses of the preceding week (the end of the term is always difficult).  The orchestra began with a piece called Play by Andrew Norman.  The composer was there to introduce it and he called it a journey from chaos, where the instruments compete with each other rather jarringly, to peace in which the instruments cooperate with each other in harmony.  The percussion instruments control all of the other instruments and seem to turn them on and off at various times.  Norman also ascribed different moods and emotions to each instrument (my favorite was the "angry" clarinet) and has them make sounds in unusual and unexpected ways, such as having the horn players hit their mouthpieces and having the pianist strum the strings directly.  It was very unusual but I enjoyed it.  This piece required a high level of concentration and engagement to listen for all of the different emotions and moods so the next piece, Vocalise by Sergei Rachmaninoff, was a nice break.  It was lovely, with a beautiful theme performed by the strings, and I closed my eyes and let it envelope me.  After the intermission, the orchestra played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, one of my favorite pieces, and they performed it brilliantly!  I love Rachmaninoff because he is so emotional and tempestuous and this piece is, at times, incredibly dramatic with themes that are repeated until they build to a swelling crescendo, and, at other times, it is poignant and filled with so much longing, especially the second movement with a theme played by the piano and then echoed throughout the orchestra.  Soloist Alexander Gavrylyuk, with fingers flying up and down the keyboard, interpreted this piece beautifully and was rewarded with a thundering ovation.  The Utah Symphony can always be counted on for a lovely evening!

Note:  A shortened version of this program will be performed tonight as part of a new series called Unwound.  You can dress casually, applaud whenever you want, participate in a variety of activities in the lobby, and purchase food and drinks before the concert.  Go here for more information and tickets.