Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3

It is opening weekend for the Utah Symphony 2022-2023 season and I was absolutely thrilled to be back at Abravanel Hall!  If last night's concert is any indication this season is going to be spectacular!  It has been a tradition for as long as I have been attending Utah Symphony concerts for the orchestra to begin the season by performing The Star Spangled Banner.  For some reason, I always find it to be very exciting so I always try to attend the opening concert in order to hear it.  After the national anthem we heard "Ride of the Valkyries" from the opera Die Walkure by Richard Wagner.  This piece depicts a group of Valkyries flying over a battlefield in order to escort fallen heroes to Valhalla and it is incredibly stirring.  I especially enjoyed the iconic themes played by the horns and brass.  Next came Short Ride in a Fast Machine by John Adams and I really loved this piece.  Of course I enjoyed the thrilling fanfare by the horns and brass meant to mimic riding in a fast Italian sports car but I was quite impressed by the percussion section because every member played multiple instruments (I loved the woodblock) and it was so much fun to watch them.  For Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3, the orchestra was joined by soloist Stefan Dohr.  I am a huge fan of Mozart because his music is light, airy, and beautiful and this piece is no exception.  Mozart wrote it for his good friend Joseph Leutgeb, an accomplished horn player, and Dohr performed it brilliantly.  I found the solo in first movement to be a bit whimsical and amusing and the one in the third to be very energetic.  Next Dohr was joined by Utah Symphony horn players Edmund Rollett, Jessica Danz, and Stephen Proser as soloists for Konzertstuck for Four Horns and Orchestra by Robert Schumann.  The opening notes played by the soloists are very dramatic and I loved the interplay between the horns and the woodwinds.  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Ein Heldenleben (A Hero's Life) by Richard Strauss.  This piece is incredibly lush and I loved hearing the violin solos performed by Concertmaster Madeline Adkins and the fanfare performed by the trumpets off stage.  This concert was an amazing way to start the season and I enjoyed it immensely!  The same program will be performed again tonight and tickets may be purchased here.

Note:  Last season I sat by the most adorable little ladies and I have the same seat again this season.  Last night they greeted me warmly, asked me about my summer, and informed me that they would not be attending the concert next weekend so that I won't worry.  I love them!