Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3

I didn't think that I would be able to attend a Utah Symphony concert this weekend but, when I realized that I would be back in town sooner than I expected, I immediately bought a ticket for last night.  The USUO organization has taken extraordinary measures so audiences can return to Abravanel Hall safely for live music and those measures were in place again last night.  Even though the audience was much smaller than usual, we tried to show our appreciation for a wonderful performance!  The orchestra, which once again consisted of just the strings (along with a harpsichord), began with with Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 by Johann Sebastian Bach.  It is one of Bach's most popular concertos and it was lovely, as usual.  Then the strings performed Transfigured Night by Arnold Schoenberg.  This is a moody and atmospheric piece about two lovers who walk through a moonlit forest.  The beginning is quite dark and mournful as the woman confesses that she is pregnant with another man's child but it becomes joyful as the man forgives her and they are transformed by love.  I had never heard this before and I really enjoyed it.  Just like last week, there were a few more surprises after the program concluded.  The stage emptied and a group of musicians from the woodwind section entered to perform Afro-Cuban Concerto for Woodwind Quintet by Valerie Coleman.  I really liked the rhythm of this piece and I liked that each instrument (bassoon, clarinet, flute, horn, and oboe) was given a moment to shine.  Next, the percussion section took the stage to perform Omnes Trio by Andrea Venet.  This piece was seriously cool and I absolutely loved it!  It was as much fun watching the three musicians playing the various drums, cymbals, and gongs (it was almost as if it was choreographed) as it was listening to them!  The percussion section was joined by the brass to conclude the evening with the world premiere of a piece commissioned by the Utah Symphony called Changes/Transitions by Quinn Mason.  It is a celebration of the progress made for racial equality, the acknowledgement that more work is needed, and the hope that people will continue to bring about necessary change.  This was accompanied by images from peaceful BLM protests around the world and it was very powerful (I was very heartened by the fact that this piece received the loudest applause of the evening).   I loved being back at Abravanel Hall for live music again!