Fischer's Farewell: Mahler's Symphony No. 3

Last night's Utah Symphony concert, while absolutely brilliant, was a little bit bittersweet for me because it was the final opportunity to see Thierry Fischer conduct the orchestra as the Music Director (I am holding out hope that he will return as a guest conductor at some point).  I have been attending Utah Symphony concerts for more than 30 years and Fischer is my favorite conductor (followed by Pavel Kogan who was the principal guest conductor for several years) because he has such a light touch and brings out the very best from the orchestra without a lot of theatricality.  For his final performance, Fischer selected Symphony No. 3 by Gustav Mahler and, in my opinion, it was the perfect choice because it is such a monumental piece about creation and he has done such a wonderful job of helping the orchestra create a distinctive sound.  The women of the Tabernacle Choir, the choristers of Madeleine Choir School, and mezzo-soprano Anna Larsson joined the Utah Symphony for this amazing piece and I loved it!  According to Fischer, the first movement is about the invisible forces within a planet and I especially loved all of the dramatic fanfares by the brass, particularly those by the solo trombone and the solo trumpet, along with the timpani (there are two sets of timpani used in this piece and I was fascinated by how many times the musicians changed mallets).  The second movement is meant to mimic the appearance of flowers and trees and is much more delicate with a beautiful melody by the oboe.  The third movement introduces birds and other animals and I loved all of the woodwinds and the trumpet solo played off stage.  The fourth movement is when man arrives and it features a powerful text by Nietzsche about the nature of mankind sung as a simple melody by Larsson (who has a beautiful voice).  The two choirs join the orchestra in the fifth movement and represent angels who watch over mankind.  I loved hearing the children's choir imitate the sound of bells along with the chimes.  Many believe that the sixth movement is Mahler's vision of Heaven and I really enjoyed the beautiful themes played by the swelling strings and then the triumphant notes played by the timpani (I couldn't take my eyes of the musicians because it was so thrilling).  The audience immediately erupted into a thunderous standing ovation for Fischer (he also received one when he took the stage) and he appeared to become emotional as he hugged Concert Master Madeline Adkins and acknowledged all of the section leaders.  I admit that I had a tear in my eye, too!  This was a spectacular conclusion to the 2022-2023 season (which has been stellar) and the remarkable tenure of Maestro Fischer!

Note:  The 2022-2023 season may be over but there are still plenty of opportunities to hear the Utah Symphony perform this summer.  There are community concerts (several of which are free) in June, the Deer Valley Music Festival in July (I can't wait for the Music of Queen), and a state tour in August (these concerts are free but require a ticket).  Go here for tickets and more information.