Dvorak's Serenade for Strings

Last night I attended an absolutely brilliant Utah Symphony concert which included a varied selection of music spanning over 400 years.  The first half of the concert featured the strings and they began with Lyric for Strings by George Walker.  I had never heard of this contemporary composer before but I really liked this piece because, while it was short, it was incredibly stirring and emotional.  Next came Serenade for Strings by Antonin Dvorak which was as wonderful as I knew it would be.  I love this entire piece because it is so exuberant but I especially love the lilting second movement.  I always imagine couples twirling around a grand ballroom in the 19th century whenever I hear it.  After a brief intermission, the second half of the concert featured the brass and percussion beginning with Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, Part 1 by Joan Tower.  This piece was written especially for women who have taken risks throughout history and I particularly liked the timpani.  The next piece was Sonata pian' e forte by Giovanni Gabrieli.  This sounded very religious to me and I imagined that it was being played in a large Renaissance cathedral.  Next came "Evangile" and "Apocalypse" from Fanfares liturgiques by Henri Tomasi.  This piece was very dramatic and featured themes played by the trombones.  My favorite piece of the evening, Funeral March by Edvard Grieg, came next and it was stately and somewhat militaristic because of the inclusion of the snare drum and it reminded me so much of Norway.  It was written in memory of Grieg's friend Rikard Nordraak, who died while he was away, and Grieg loved it so much he requested that it be performed at his own funeral.  I loved it, too, and I imagined a solemn funeral procession with a caisson carrying a coffin draped in black crepe through the rainy streets of Oslo as I listened.  Night Signal - Signals from Heaven II by Toru Takemitsu, which is about a herald angel, was another short but emotional piece.  The concert concluded with Aaron Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man.  I have heard it many times but last night's performance of it nearly reduced me to tears.  Copland wrote it during World War II as a tribute to the spark of light found in each of us and it just seemed so appropriate for right now.  I also really enjoyed guest conductor David Robertson.  He reminded me a lot of Maestro Fischer (who recently extended his contract to remain with the Utah Symphony through 2023) because he had a light touch with the orchestra and a soft-spoken charisma in his interactions with the audience.  This was one of the best Utah Symphony concerts I've attended and, even though tickets for tonight's performance are extremely limited, I would highly recommend making the effort to get one (go here).

Note:  I can't remember what the original concert was going to be before Covid-19 necessitated a change but bravo to whoever created this new program!  It was an outstanding selection of music!