Mozart's Requiem

One of my all-time favorite movies is Amadeus.  I have a very vivid memory of watching it for the first time on HBO when I was in high school because, for some reason, I was in my parents' room instead of the family room downstairs.  They wanted to go to bed but I was so engrossed that they let me continue watching it to the end.  It was the first movie that I owned (on VHS) and I watched it obsessively.  I also bought the soundtrack (on vinyl) and I loved it so much that my parents took me to my first Utah Symphony concert because the program featured Mozart's Requiem.  I will never forget that concert because it was my introduction to hearing classical music performed live (I have been a Utah Symphony subscriber ever since) and I was completely overcome hearing a piece that I loved so much (my parents both fell asleep).  The program for last night's Utah Symphony concert included three pieces by Mozart that are featured in Amadeus and I was so excited that I could hardly contain myself (I have been looking forward to it since the season was announced a year ago).  The orchestra began with the Overture to The Magic Flute and, even though it is not my favorite opera by Mozart (that would be Don Giovanni), I really enjoyed it because it is very playful, especially the unexpected use of the brass in the opening notes.  Next came Symphony No. 25 and, while I love all of it, the first movement is my favorite because it is incredibly stirring (I love the syncopation) and I know every single note because it is played over the opening credits in Amadeus as Salieri is rushed through the streets of Vienna after attempting suicide (I saw this scene in my mind as I listened to it).  After the intermission, the orchestra was joined by Soprano Deanna Breiwick, Mezzo-Soprano Cecelia Hall, Tenor Matthew Newhouse, Baritone Levi Hernandez, and the Utah Symphony Chorus for the Requiem.  I am fascinated by this piece because it is hauntingly beautiful and, while the movie definitely takes many liberties with how it was composed, the true story is still very intriguing because it is believed that a mysterious figure commissioned a Requiem Mass with the intention of passing it off as his own and, of course, it is incredibly tragic that Mozart died before completing it.  The performance was spectacular and I had goosebumps many times throughout but my favorite sections were the Kyrie because the double fugue is so intense, the Confutatis because I love the arpeggios by the strings as the women sing (this is what Mozart is writing with Salieri on his deathbed in the movie), and the Lacrimosa because it is atmospheric and mournful (this is what plays during Mozart's funeral in the movie).  I loved this concert so much and I am sure that I will be on a high from it for days!  I highly recommend getting a ticket for tonight's concert featuring the same program (go here) but act quickly because there were very few empty seats last night.

Note:  Now I want to watch Amadeus again!

Bravo Broadway

Last night I went to the Bravo Broadway concert featuring the Utah Symphony and guest vocalists Scarlett Strallen, Dee Roscioli, and Hugh Panaro.  It was wonderful!  Before the show, guest conductor John Gennaro Devlin told the audience that the first half would feature classic Broadway standards and the second would include songs from popular shows on Broadway today and I'm not sure which I enjoyed more!  The orchestra began with the Broadway Tonight Overture and then all three soloists came to the stage for "Lullaby of Broadway" from 42nd Street.  Strallen, who has a beautiful coloratura soprano voice, continued with a lovely version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady, Panaro sang an incredibly moving version of "Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd (all of the lights on stage turned red during this song), and then Roscioli just about blew the roof off Abravanel Hall with her version of "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl.  Next came a romantic performance of "Stranger in Paradise" from Kismet and then the orchestra continued with a medley from West Side Story (which included audience participation).  All three soloists performed an amusing version of "Getting Married Today" from Company, Panaro gave a spirited rendition of "Ya Got Trouble" from The Music Man, and then everyone performed "Before the Parade Passes By" from Hello, Dolly! to conclude the first half.  After the intermission, Panaro sang "You'll Be Back" from Hamilton (complete with a crown) and this was obviously my favorite  performance of the night but Roscioli's rendition of "Memory" from Cats gave me goosebumps!  I love that Panaro and Strallen included "The Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot next because it is such a spoof of Broadway musicals and the fact that they sang it so seriously was hilarious.  The orchestra played a really fun medley from Mamma Mia that got the audience cheering and then Strallen and Roscioli (who has had the longest run playing Elphaba on Broadway and on national tours) sang "For Good" from Wicked.  Roscioli continued with "Defying Gravity" (her dress was pink so she joked that she was wearing the wrong color but at least all of the lights on stage were green) and this was another favorite moment.  A Bravo Broadway concert just isn't complete without Phantom of the Opera so Panaro and Strallen sang "Phantom of the Opera" and then Panaro gave an incredible performance of "Music of the Night" that brought the house down!  For the encore, they performed a medley of love songs for Valentine's Day (my favorites were "Love Changes Everything" from Aspects of Love and "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar).  I enjoyed this concert so much and, if you love musical theatre as much as I do, I highly recommend getting a ticket to tonight's performance of the same program (go here) but act quickly because there were very few empty seats last night.

The Music of John Williams

Last night I was so excited to hear the music of prolific film composer John Williams performed by the Utah Symphony!  The program was curated by Creative Partner David Robertson and he was full of fun anecdotes about each piece (I think he is really charming and I always like to be in attendance whenever he is the guest conductor).  The orchestra began with the Overture to The Cowboys, which is one of the earliest scores composed by Williams, and I have to admit that I have never seen this movie or heard the score before last night but I really liked it because it is very stirring.  The concert continued with "The Flight to Neverland" from Hook, the Flying Theme from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, and then "Hedwig's Theme" and "Harry's Wondrous World" from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (which always puts a smile on my face).  After the intermission, the orchestra played "Superman March" from Superman: The Movie, the Main Theme from Jurassic Park (this is one of my favorites because every time I hear it I can visualize Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler seeing the dinosaurs for this first time and this scene is absolutely magical thanks, in large part, to the music composed by Williams), the Main Theme from Schindler's List with the violin solos performed by Concertmaster Madeline Adkins (this was heartbreakingly beautiful and the audience leapt to their feet in a standing ovation for Adkins at its conclusion), and the Main Theme from JFK (I loved the snare drum and the fanfare from a solo trumpet).  The concert concluded with the piece I had been waiting for all evening, the instantly recognizable Main Title from Star Wars: A New Hope, and it gave me goosebumps (as it always does).  The encore included "Imperial March" from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (another favorite) and "The Raiders March" from Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I really enjoyed this concert and I highly recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance of the same program (go here), especially if you are a fan of movies, but act quickly because last night's concert was sold out.

Schubert's Symphony No. 6 at St. Mary's Church

Last night I drove up to Park City for a Utah Symphony concert at St. Mary's Church as part of the Deer Valley Music Festival.  St. Mary's is such a cool venue for a concert because it is a beautiful church with a large wall of windows through which you can see amazing views of mountains and pine trees and I look forward to seeing at least one concert here every summer.  Last night's concert began with Symphony No. 61 by Franz Joseph Haydn and it was really fun.  Guest conductor Chelsea Gallo talked about all of the humorous elements and throughout the piece she turned to the audience to let us know when to laugh (she was very charming).  I especially loved the whimsical themes played by the oboe, bassoon, and flute in the second movement.  Next came Romance No. 1 for Violin by Ludwig van Beethoven with Associate Concertmaster Kathryn Eberle as soloist.  Not much is known about why Beethoven wrote this shorter piece (along with Romance No. 2) but it is very beautiful and I loved the themes played by the violin (an exquisite performance by Eberle) which were then echoed by the orchestra.  Eberle joined the orchestra once again as soloist for Havanaise by Camille Saint-Saens.  This is based on a dance that originated in Cuba in the mid-nineteenth century and then became popular in Spain.  It has a distinctive repeating rhythm that begins with the cellos and is heard throughout.  The solo violin is quiet and reflective at times and then has some fiery virtuoso passages (featuring another brilliant performance by Eberle) and I loved it!  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 6 by Franz Schubert.  This piece was written when Schubert was only twenty years old but it wasn't performed until after his death.  I really enjoyed it, especially the melody played by the clarinet and the bassoon and then the response from the oboe and flute in the first movement.  It was a lovely evening listening to the Utah Symphony in a beautiful setting and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of the remaining concerts at St. Mary's Church (or one of the concerts at Deer Valley).  Go here for tickets and information.

Anne Akiko Meyers Plays "Fandango"

Last night I attended the final Utah Symphony concert of the season and it was certainly a spectacular one to end with!  The orchestra began with a fun piece called Fanfare Ritmico by Jennifer Higdon.  According to the composer, it was written on the eve of the new Millennium to celebrate the rhythm and speed of daily life.  I thought it was incredibly dynamic and I especially loved all of the percussion (the chimes were my favorite) and the brass.  Next came Fandango by Arturo Marquez.  This piece was inspired by a fandango, or Mexican party where people come together to dance and sing in a communal setting, and was written specifically for the soloist Anne Akiko Meyers.  She performed it so brilliantly that the audience gave her a standing ovation after the first movement (to be fair the ending of the movement is very dramatic).  The piece contained several different and exciting Latin rhythms that had people dancing in their seats and I especially loved the back and forth between the solo violin and the solo clarinet during an interlude in the first movement, the sensual themes in the second movement, and the sheer virtuosity of Meyers' performance in the third movement (it was really fast and so much fun to watch).  I had never heard this piece before but I think it might be a new favorite because I really enjoyed it!  After the intermission the concert concluded with an incredibly stirring rendition of Aaron Copland's Symphony No. 3.  I am always very moved by this piece whenever I hear it performed live because it is so triumphant.  I love the themes played by the woodwinds and, of course, the instantly recognizable Fanfare for the Common Man played by the brass, punctuated dramatically by the timpani, is brilliant.  I had goosebumps by the time the orchestra reached the exhilarating conclusion!  This same program will be performed again tonight and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).

How to Train Your Dragon in Concert

Seeing How to Train Your Dragon, a movie that I love, while the Utah Symphony performed the amazing Academy Award nominated score by John Powell live in front of an enthusiastic capacity crowd last night was so much fun!  The Vikings on the island of Berk are regularly attacked by dragons but Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), the son of the chief Stoik the Vast (Gerard Butler), is deemed too weak and awkward to fight them.  He is apprenticed to the blacksmith Gobber (Craig Ferguson), instead, so he makes a mechanical device which he uses to shoot down the rare Night Fury dragon during an attack.  When he discovers that the dragon was only wounded, he can't bring himself to kill him and sets him free.  He eventually befriends the dragon, naming him Toothless because of his retractable teeth, and makes a prosthetic for his wounded tail fin so he can fly again.  Hiccup ultimately discovers that everything the Vikings know about the dragons is wrong and that they must join together to face an even bigger threat.  The score features lots of booming brass and percussion with elements from Scottish folk music (I wish that there had been a piper on stage) but my favorite pieces featured beautiful themes by the strings, including "Forbidden Friendship" when Hiccup finally gets Toothless to trust him (this received lots of applause from the audience), "Test Drive" when Hiccup learns to ride Toothless, and "Romantic Flight" when Toothless flies Hiccup and Astrid (America Ferrera) through the clouds and the Northern lights.  I also loved the piano in "Where's Hiccup?" in the aftermath of the battle with Red Death.  Since the music is so epic, the experience of hearing it live while watching the movie is incredibly immersive!  I guarantee that if you love the movie you will love the concert!  Due to popular demand, the Utah Symphony has added two more chances to see it (in June) but you need to act quickly because tickets are almost gone (go here).

Guitar Celebrations: JIJI Plays Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto

I always love it when I walk into Abravanel Hall and see lots of percussion instruments on the stage but when they are joined by rows of amps and pedal boards it is even more exciting!  Last night's Utah Symphony concert was the culmination of a week long guitar festival conceived by USUO Creative Partner David Robertson featuring the super group Another Night on Earth (including the acoustic and electric guitarists Steven Mackey, Joe Gore, James Moore, Heiko Ossig, Daniele Gottardo, JIJI, and Gretchen Menn) with guitar pieces of every genre.  It was amazing!  The concert began with Mackey's Turn the Key with the composer as soloist.  This piece was very playful with a fun rhythm that was infectious.  I loved the use of lots of different percussion instruments (including the clapping of hands) and the harp solo.  Next came a piece arranged by Robertson and Gore called Falling Through Time: Music from the 1300s which is a collection of medieval music using modern instruments and percussion.  This was seriously cool and I loved how the electric guitar, played by Gore, seemed to take the place of the chanting that is usually heard in this type of music.  This was followed by Moore's Sleep is Shattered with the composer as soloist on electric guitar.  It is inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and the guitar acts as the impetus for transporting the audience to various states of being and it features lots of interesting distortions.  It might not be for everyone because it was really trippy but I really dug it!  After the intermission Robertson joked that he knew the audience only sat through the other pieces just to get to this one (I really like him because he is so charming) before performing a piece arranged by Leo Brouwer called Beatlerianas with Ossig as soloist on acoustic guitar.  This is a medley of Beatles songs, including "Eleanor Rigby," "Yesterday," "She's Leaving Home," "Ticket to Ride" "Got to Get You Into My Life," "Here, There and Everywhere," and "Penny Lane," and it was absolutely beautiful!  It was obviously my favorite piece of the evening!  The world premiere of Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra by Gottardo came next with the composer as soloist on electric guitar.  This had a jazz sound and I especially liked the second movement because it is a bit melancholy (Robertson described it as nostalgia for something you haven't experienced yet).  The orchestra continued with one of the most popular pieces for guitar, Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, with JIJI as soloist on Spanish guitar.  I loved all of the guitar solos (JIJI was brilliant and so much fun to watch) throughout and the dramatic themes played by the strings in the second movement. All of the guitarists returned to the stage for an epic rendition of G-Spot Tornado by Frank Zappa which rocked the house to close out the concert!  I thoroughly enjoyed this show and now I really want to start playing my guitar again!  This program will be repeated again tonight (go here for tickets).

Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA

Last night the Utah Symphony was joined by Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA, an incredible ABBA tribute group, and to say that I had fun at this concert would be an understatement!  I don't think I have ever seen such a boisterous crowd at Abravanel Hall because people were enthusiastically singing and dancing to every song!  This group looks and sounds just like ABBA with costumes (I loved the cat mini dresses with white go-go boots), choreography, and vocal performances that are incredibly authentic.  They introduced themselves at Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny, and Anni-Frid and they stayed in character all night with lots of amusing interactions with the crowd (especially a group from Sweden).  The first set included "Mamma Mia," "Super Trouper," "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (my favorite ABBA song), "When All Is Said and Done," "Ring Ring" (which was sung in Swedish), "S.O.S.," "Fernando" (which sounded amazing with the orchestra), "The Name of the Game," "Money, Money, Money," and "Waterloo" (with video footage from when ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974).  After the intermission, they performed "Voulez-Vous" and then passionate renditions of "I Have a Dream" and "The Winner Takes It All."  They continued with "Chiquitita," "Take a Chance On Me," "Does Your Mother Know," and then ended this set with a rocking version of "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)."  For the encore, they performed "Thank You for the Music" and ended the evening with "Dancing Queen" complete with a disco ball.  I love the music of ABBA and I have so many memories of listening to it when I was a child (it was part of my family's road trip playlist) so this whole concert was incredibly nostalgic for me (it always amazes me when I can immediately remember lyrics from song I haven't heard in a long time) and I loved every minute.  I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here) for tonight's concert but act quickly because it was almost sold out last night!

Danny Elfman's Percussion Concerto

I always love it when I walk into Abravanel Hall and see lots of percussion instruments on the stage because I know that I am in for a good time!  Last night's Utah Symphony concert featured more percussion instruments than I've ever seen assembled and it was amazing!  The concert began with a spotlight on percussionist Colin Currie as he performed a piece for a solo marimba called Tromp Miniature by Bryce Dessner (who founded the band The National with his brother Aaron).  Currie described it as a lullaby and I found it to be almost hypnotic.  Next, the orchestra joined Currie on stage for Danny Elfman's Percussion Concerto and, as a huge fan of Oingo Boingo, I was beyond excited for this and I loved it!  Currie, as the soloist, played 12 instruments (and assorted other objects) himself but there were also five additional percussionists along with the strings and piano.  The piece was instantly recognizable as an Elfman composition because, like all of his film scores, it is intense and dramatic but also a little bit playful.  I loved the interaction between the percussion instruments in the first movement, the themes played by the strings in the third movement, and the vibraphone in the spectacular final movement.  I also enjoyed seeing Currie run across the stage to reach all of the instruments in order to keep up with the frenetic pace.  I am so glad that I got to hear this thrilling and exciting piece (and I highly suggest that fans of Elfman get a ticket to tonight's performance sooner rather than later because there were very few empty seats in Abravanel Hall last night).  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No.1 by Johannes Brahms which was also quite exciting and dramatic.  I really loved the slow and somewhat ominous introduction to the first movement by the timpani followed by a palpable tension between the woodwinds and the violins, the themes played by the bassoons and the horns (meant to mimic an alpenhorn) in the second movement, and the themes played by the strings and then repeated by the woodwinds and then the full orchestra (which sounded very similar to "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony) in the final movement.  This was one of my favorite concerts this season and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets to tonight's performance).

Strauss' Don Juan

I attended another wonderful concert at Abravanel Hall last night during which the Utah Symphony performed pieces composed in the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries (the latter was a world premiere).  Former Associate Conductor Conner Gray Covington was back on the podium leading the orchestra beginning with Symphony No. 88 by Franz Joseph Haydn (representing the 18th century).  I really loved all of the beautiful melodies throughout, especially a flute solo in the first movement and the use of trumpets and timpani in the second movement.  Next came Trombone Concerto "Sonorous" by Quinn Mason (representing the 21st century) and this was my favorite piece of the concert (it is always really exciting to be the first to hear new music).  It was composed in collaboration with former Utah Symphony Principal Trombonist Mark Davidson who requested a piece that allowed the trombone to sing and I believe that Mason succeeded in fulfilling that request because the sound of the trombone seemed to float above the orchestra. Mason was in attendance to introduce the piece featuring Davidson as soloist and it was absolutely amazing!  I particularly loved how the trombone interacted with the rest of the orchestra with calls and responses during the first movement and with the rest of the trombone section in unison during the second movement.  Davidson played brilliantly, most notably in the third movement when he played multiple notes incredibly fast (with a technique known as double-tonguing), and I really loved his tone (who knew the trombone could be so expressive?).  He and Mason received a well deserved standing ovation from the large crowd.  After the intermission the orchestra continued with Don Juan by Richard Strauss (representing the 19th century).  Strauss was inspired by a poem by Nikolaus Lenau in which the famous lothario languishes in solitude before his death.  I loved the spirited opening featuring the horns in unison and the romantic theme played by a solo violin.  The concert concluded with Symphony No. 1 by Samuel Barber (representing the 20th century) and I really enjoyed this piece because it is very passionate.  I especially loved the dramatic themes performed by the brass and timpani, the solo played by the oboe, and the repetition from the basses at the end.  This entire program is outstanding but I especially recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance (go here) for the chance to hear the Trombone Concerto because it is remarkable!

Casablanca in Concert

Getting to see Casablanca on the big screen is always very special (it is one of my favorite movies of all time) but, when you add the score by Max Steiner played live by the Utah Symphony, it is an epic experience!  This film in concert happened at Abravanel Hall last night and I loved it!  Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is a hard-drinking club owner in Casablanca who sticks his neck out for nobody even though the city is filled with desperate refugees looking for exit visas to escape the Nazis during World War II.  He successfully navigates the world of black marketeers, corrupt officials, and German officers until Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) walks into his club with her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a hero of the resistance who is in need of safe passage.  Ilsa was once Rick's lover in Paris but she abandoned him without explanation and, even though he has letters of transit that will ensure their safety, he is bitter and refuses to help.  Ilsa eventually confides to Rick that she still loves him but she also admires and respects Victor and will do anything to ensure that his work with the resistance continues, even sacrifice her own happiness, but will Rick sacrifice his happiness to save them?  When an orchestra plays the score live it is such an immersive experience and it really brings the action to life.  I particularly enjoyed the dramatic use of percussion during the opening scene displaying a map of Africa, the poignant use of strings whenever the plight of the refugees is described, and the menacing use of the brass when the Nazis occupy Paris.  I also loved how elements from the song "As Time Goes By" by Herman Hupfeld are incorporated as a leitmotif for Rick and Ilsa's doomed relationship and how elements from the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise" (which is sung during my favorite moment in the movie to drown out the singing of a German drinking song), are used as another leitmotif for all of the political intrigue.  This didn't have the same audience participation as some of the other films in this series but it was so much fun!  The final film for the 2023-2024 season is How to Train Your Dragon (go here for tickets).

Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1

I have a lot of Utah Symphony concerts during the month of February and this makes me so happy!  Last night the orchestra was led by guest conductor Jun Markl (who is one of my favorites) and the concert featured a performance by Concertmaster Madeline Adkins as a soloist so it was pretty amazing!  The evening began and ended with symphonic poems by Richard Strauss, Macbeth and Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, and both featured quotes from the original sources and images projected on a screen.  I especially enjoyed Macbeth because the play is one of my favorites by Shakespeare and I could definitely hear the themes representing Macbeth's ambition, Lady Macbeth's attempts to persuade Macbeth to commit murder, the murder of Duncan, the madness of Macbeth, the triumph of Macduff (I loved the fanfare), and the death of Macbeth.  I was less familiar with the source material for Till Eulenspiegel but it was really fun to hear themes representing the trickster played by the solo horn and solo clarinet and those representing his pranks on workmen, clergymen, and intellectuals.  I particularly enjoyed the powerful use of percussion when he is sentenced to death by hanging for blasphemy and the clarinet which is dramatically cut off as the sentence is carried out.  I really like Adkins so my favorite piece was Concerto No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra by Sergei Prokofiev.  Even though it was composed during the most turbulent period of the Russian Revolution, it is very beautiful and lyrical.  The first movement is ethereal and the third movement is passionate (I loved the themes played by the bassoon and the tuba in the third) but my favorite was the second movement because the violin solos are absolutely dazzling as they gain intensity and speed (the sheer number of notes played is astonishing).  Adkins performed the piece brilliantly (someone sitting near me exclaimed that it was magical) and she received an enthusiastic standing ovation!  The orchestra also performed In Nature's Realm by Antonin Dvorak.  This piece is about the power of nature as both a life-giving as well as destructive force and it is very atmospheric.  I especially enjoyed the brief themes played by the flutes and oboes signifying birdsong.  I thoroughly enjoyed this concert and recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance of the same program (go here for tickets).

Note:  This is a Masterworks Magnified program so there are lots of activities in the lobby before the concert.  You may even encounter Till Eulenspiegel up to his usual tricks.

Stephen Hough Performs Stephen Hough

Last night I was back at Abravanel Hall for my first Utah Symphony concert of 2024 and it was certainly a good one to begin the year with!  First up was a delightful piece called Cockaigne (In London Town) by Edward Elgar which is described as a musical portrait of Edwardian London.  I really loved how the instruments mimic the sounds of a big city with lots of boisterous themes by the timpani and brass.  Next, the orchestra was joined by perennial Utah favorite pianist Stephen Hough for the world premiere of his Piano Concerto "The World of Yesterday."  He took the title from Stephen Zweig's memoir about his nostalgia for life in Vienna before World War I so I was really excited to hear it (I read, and enjoyed, this book because it inspired Wes Anderson to write the screenplay for one of my favorite movies The Grand Budapest Hotel and also because I am a total nerd).  Hough spoke to the crowd and explained that he was also inspired by nostalgia for the time when composers would write works for themselves to perform on piano in order to be able to show off!  I really enjoyed this piece (it is always exciting to be the first to hear a new work), especially a lovely theme played by the clarinet and harp, and extended cadenza by the solo piano (where Hough was, indeed, able to show off), and variations of a waltz which included a fun theme by the xylophone.  The crowd gave Hough and the orchestra a rousing standing ovation and he rewarded us with an encore performance of a traditional folk song called "Blow the Wind Southerly."  After the intermission, the concert concluded with Symphony No. 5 by Ralph Vaughan Williams and this piece will now be added to my list of favorites because I absolutely loved it!  I was incredibly moved by the beautiful and emotional themes played throughout by the strings but I especially loved the third movement because it began and ended with the woodwinds and featured an incredible solo from Concertmaster Madeline Adkins.  This concert was definitely a wonderful way to spend a cold and dreary Saturday evening!

Frozen in Concert

I have been hyping the Utah Symphony's films in concert series to anyone who would listen to me for the past few years.  I was finally able to take Kristine and Trent to see Love Actually last Tuesday and I have definitely converted them.  Last night I hoped to do the same with Marilyn at Frozen and I think I was successful because we both had a lot of fun.  The animated classic, based on "The Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen, was shown on the big screen while the orchestra played the songs by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and the score by Christophe Beck.  Princess Elsa (Eva Bella) accidentally freezes her sister Princess Anna (Livvy Stubenrauch) with her mysterious powers when they build a snowman together.  The King (Maurice LaMarche) and Queen (Jennifer Lee) tell her that she must hide herself away from Anna and the rest of Arendelle but, when they are lost at sea, she must open the doors of the castle once again for her coronation.  Elsa (Idina Menzel) loses control of herself, with devastating consequences, when Anna (Kristen Bell) requests permission to marry Hans of the Southern Isles (Santino Fontana) and she flees Arendelle.  Anna follows her, hoping to save Arendelle from the endless winter, and is aided by an ice harvester named Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer Sven, and Olaf (Josh Gad), the snowman built by Elsa and Anna as girls.  Elsa fears that she is a monster but it is her ability to love that saves Anna and Arendelle.  I loved hearing the orchestra play the music for all of the iconic songs, especially "For the First Time in Forever," "Love Is an Open Door," and "Let It Go" but I was really impressed by the score.  I particularly enjoyed the percussion mimicking the sounds of the ice cracking during the opening, the tuba as the visiting dignitaries are introduced to Elsa, the dramatic strings as the snow monster attacks Kristoff and Anna, and the harp as Elsa's hug thaws Anna.  The audience participation was a lot of fun because there were cheers and applause when each character appeared on screen for the first time and lots of very energetic boos every time Hans appeared (the crowd was very committed to booing Hans).  I loved both of the films in concert this week and I hope my sisters will want to go with me again!  The next films are Casablanca and How to Train Your Dragon (go here for tickets).

Love Actually in Concert

I was back at Abravanel Hall again last night with my sister Kristine and my brother-in-law Trent to see the movie Love Actually on the big screen while the Utah Symphony performed the score by Craig Armstrong live.  I love the films in concert series but I think this one is my favorite because I love this movie (it is one of my favorite Christmas movies) and it was so much fun to for me to see Kristine and Trent (this was their first film in concert) enjoying it!  This movie involves a series of love stories involving many different characters (played by an all-star cast) at Christmas time.  My favorite involves Sam (Thomas Sangster), an eleven-year-old boy mourning the recent loss of his mother, who turns to his step-father Daniel (Liam Neeson) to help him get the attention of his crush Joanna (Olivia Olson).  When Sam's plan, which involves playing drums during Joanna's song at the school Christmas concert, doesn't work, he runs through the airport on Christmas Eve to catch her before she returns home to America (after saying my favorite line in the movie, "Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love.").  There are so many hilarious moments in this movie that made the audience laugh out loud, especially when the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) dances, when aging rock star Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) records a Christmas version of "Love is All Around," when the shy actors John (Martin Freeman) and Judy (Joanna Page) act as stand-ins for a sex scene (these scenes got the loudest response), when the socially awkward Colin (Kris Marshall) thinks he can can get more attention from American girls, and when a salesman (Rowan Atkinson) elaborately wraps a Christmas present surreptitiously purchased by Harry (Alan Rickman) for another woman (another highlight for the audience).  The score has a pop sound and prominently features the piano and keyboard, drums, and guitars but there is also a lovely and plaintive theme played by the strings with variations that appear throughout the movie.  I loved the trumpets and trombones in "All You Need is Love" at the wedding of Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Juliet (Keira Knightley) and the clarinet solo when Sarah (Laura Linney) confirms that she is in love with Karl (Rodrigo Santoro).  The three of us had such a great time last night and I think I may have turned Kristine and Trent into fans of the films in concert series.  I definitely recommend getting a ticket to one of the remaining concerts (go here) this season.

Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony

The program for last night's Utah Symphony concert was, once again, curated by guest conductor and creative partner David Robinson.  The pieces were selected to evoke images of specific places and I really enjoyed all of them because they reminded me of past journeys.  The orchestra began with En Saga (A Fairy Tale) by Jean Sibelius.  I became familiar with the music of Sibelius on a trip to Finland in 2003 so I already picture that country whenever I hear any of his music but this particular piece conjured of many more images.  I especially enjoyed an effect created by the strings which sounded to me like a frozen wind blowing across a snowy landscape during a hunting party.  I also enjoyed several plaintive themes played by the solo oboe and solo clarinet which I feel represent the yearning of the Finnish people to be free from the yoke of Russia.  Next came Three Pieces in New England by Charles Ives and all three movements are intended to make the listener have a similar experience to ones he had while visiting each place.  The first movement, The "St. Gaudens" on Boston Common, was my favorite because it refers to a bronze statue of Colonel Robert Shaw depicting his march with a unit of Black volunteer soldiers into a massacre at Fort Wagoner and, like Ives, I also had a very poignant reaction to seeing this statue on a trip to Boston.  I really liked the integration of the Civil War songs "The Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Marching Through Georgia" as well as the faint fanfares from the brass representing an attempt by the soldiers to rally.  After the intermission, the orchestra performed Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish" by Robert Schmann.  This was written in response to a day trip taken by Schumann and his wife to Cologne where they viewed the Rhine River.  I loved this piece because I once took a river cruise of the Rhine on a trip to Germany in 1997 and I could see all of the beautiful castles that line the banks and hear the lapping of the water as I listened.  I especially loved the solemn fourth movement with its haunting themes first performed by the horns and trombones and then expanded by the woodwinds and strings.  I recommend taking a musical journey of your own when this program is performed again tonight (go here for tickets).

Appalachian Spring

I really enjoyed last night's Utah Symphony concert because it featured such an eclectic program.  The orchestra was joined by pianist Awadagin Pratt for Johann Sebastian Bach's Keyboard Concerto in A Major.  What I really liked about this piece is that it features melodies played by the piano and strings together interspersed with showier passages for the piano.  Pratt has a light touch and is known for being agile, creative, and inventive so it was very entertaining watching his fingers fly up and down the keyboard.  He joined the orchestra once again to perform Rounds for Piano and String Orchestra by Jessie Montgomery.  According to Montgomery, it was inspired by the interconnectedness found in nature and how every living thing interacts with and impacts all of the living things around it with a multitude of outcomes.  I loved it because it evoked so many different emotions as I listened to it.  I especially enjoyed a passage where Pratt stood up to pluck the strings of the piano (I've never seen that before).  This piece was written specifically for Pratt and he improvises the conclusion so if you attend tonight's performance you will hear something entirely new.  After the intermission, the orchestra performed the Overture from The Greatest, an opera about Muhammad Ali composed by guest conductor Teddy Abrams.  He described it as loud, brash, and violent and I liked the urgency of the themes played by the strings, the bold fanfares by the brass, and the dramatic use of percussion.  The concert concluded with Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland in its entirety rather than just the Orchestral Suite which is normally performed.  I always love hearing this piece performed live because the themes of peace and remembrance during war are incredibly poignant.  I especially love the variations on the Quaker hymn "Simple Gifts" which is first developed by a solo clarinet and then repeated by various instruments.  I was really excited for this concert because of Appalachian Spring but I ended up loving Rounds just as much and I recommend getting a ticket to tonight's performance (go here) to hear both of them!

Brahms' Symphony No. 2

Last night I was back at Abravanel Hall for another Utah Symphony concert and it was wonderful.  The orchestra began with a modern piece called Prelude a une nuit americaine by Mathilde Wantenaar.  It is meant to represent a sultry evening with just the hint of jazz in the air and I really enjoyed the energy and vitality, especially the tension created by the themes played by the brass.  Next came Death and Transfiguration by Richard Strauss and this was my favorite piece of the evening because I could definitely envision a dying man searching for what lies beyond just by closing my eyes and listening to the music.  It begins very slowly with beautiful themes played by the woodwinds and a solo violin to represent dreams once cherished during a lifetime.  Then there is a dramatic change in tone with a crash of timpani and fanfares from the brass leading to some intense passages from the violins to depict the reality of the human condition.  The piece concludes with the stroke of a gong signifying the transcendence needed to achieve the greatness once dreamed of.  The performance was incredibly powerful!  After the intermission, the orchestra concluded with Symphony No. 2 by Johannes Brahms.  Guest conductor Markus Poschner, a world-renowned expert on Brahms, explained that this piece celebrates both the joy of living and the melancholy that exists below the surface.  I was really struck by the notes played by the cellos and basses at the beginning of the first movement which eventually develop into themes by the horns, the woodwinds, and then the violins with underlying hints from the trombones and tuba threatening the calm.  The melancholy themes, which I loved, come from the cellos in the second movement while the oboes play a lighthearted theme recalling the first movement in the third.  The final movement ends triumphantly with the trombones!  What I most enjoyed about this concert is that, like the one two weeks ago, the three pieces were tied together thematically through their exploration of the highs and lows of the human experience.  I highly recommend getting a ticket to tonight's performance of the same program (go here).

Audra McDonald with the Utah Symphony

Last night I spent an incredible evening with Audra McDonald and the Utah Symphony (and my friend Angela) at a concert featuring lots of Broadway classics and standards from the great American songbook.  I loved every minute of it!  The orchestra began with "Carousel Waltz" from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical Carousel and then the incomparable Audra McDonald took the stage with a powerful performance of "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles.  She continued with "Pure Imagination" from the movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (which I've heard her sing before) and she told a hilarious story about performing her next song, "Cornet Man" from Funny Girl, in a competition as a 14 year old girl and being criticized for not picking a more appropriate song!  Next came "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" by Duke Ellington, a sultry rendition of "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess, and then a spirited version of "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady (a song she has always been hesitant to sing because it is such a standard for all sopranos).  She talked about her hobby of gardening (very badly) which led her to add the song "I Always Say Hello to a Flower" to her repertoire and I thought her performance was really fun!  She ended her first set with "Home" from The Wiz and she just about blew the roof off Abravanel Hall with her powerful vocals!  After the intermission, she returned to the stage with "Before the Parade Passes By" from Hello, Dolly!  Next, she performed a lovely arrangement of "Bein' Green" accompanied by a guitar and a beautiful mashup of "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific and "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods (I loved this so much).  She continued with "Can't Stop Talking" from the movie Let's Dance and then an amazing rendition of "Somewhere" from West Side Story.  She told the crowd that she found her next song, "I Love Today," on singer-songwriter Emily King's social media (it was written by King's mother Kim Kalesti) and reached out to her to ask if she could sing it.  It is a beautiful song about living in the moment and living life to the fullest and I loved it!  She concluded her main set with a really cool arrangement of "Life is a Cabaret" from the musical Cabaret.  For the encore, she sang a mashup of "Happy Days Are Here Again" and "Get Happy" with her music director Andy Einhorn and the crowd exploded into an appreciative standing ovation!  Both Angela and I have seen her perform before and both of us agreed that McDonald's vocals were especially powerful last night and we both found her to be even more loquacious than usual with lots of funny anecdotes to introduce every song.  It was an amazing night and, if you are a fan of Broadway, I highly recommend getting a ticket to tonight's concert (go here).

Beethoven's Ninth

The program for last night's Utah Symphony concert was curated by guest conductor and creative partner David Robertson to portray all aspects of the human experience from the depths of despair to the pinnacle of joy and it was absolutely spectacular!  The evening began with a piece of sacred choral music called Christus factus est by Anton Bruckner which was performed by the Utah Symphony Chorus unaccompanied.  It was both sorrowful and powerful and featured atmospheric lighting which allowed Robertson to simply appear at the podium without an introduction.  Next, the orchestra and chorus were immediately joined by soloists Celena Shafer (a Utah favorite), Deborah Nansteel, Chad Shelton, and Zachary Nelson for a semi-staged version of Act III from the opera Wozzeck by Alban Berg.  The theme of this opera is the impending doom felt by Berg at the end of the Great War and this act tells the story of a poor and abused soldier named Wozzeck who is driven mad with jealousy over his wife Marie's infidelity with a drum major.  After Wozzeck kills Marie he becomes obsessed with the blood and, in an attempt to wash it away, he wades into a pond and drowns while his child is playing with neighbor children.  There are two crescendos played by the brass and percussion after Wozzeck kills Marie that are incredibly dramatic and convey the enormity of what he has done.  They gave me goosebumps!  After the intermission came what is widely regarded as the greatest symphony ever written!  The orchestra was once again joined by the chorus and the soloists for Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig van Beethoven and I was completely swept up by the emotion of this celebration of the universal brotherhood of man.  I was captivated by the very first hushed note which soon erupts to create a first movement that is incredibly stirring and dynamic.  The second movement is lively and exuberant and the third movement brought me to tears, as it always does, because it is so hauntingly beautiful.  All of this is merely the prelude to the incredible fourth movement featuring the chorus and soloists singing the lyrics from the poem Ode to Joy by Friedrich Schiller to the accompaniment of the instantly recognizable main theme played by the orchestra.  This performance was absolutely amazing and, even though it is over an hour in length, it felt like it went by in an instant.  I cannot recommend this concert enough and I suggest you get a ticket to tonight's performance (go here) as soon as you can because there were very few empty seats at Abravanel Hall last night (with good reason).