By Larissa Carrick
The Utah Symphony offers its audience an evening of romantic intensity at Salt Lake City’s Abravenal Hall. Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is performed by soloist Jan Lisiecki, a 23-year-old concert pianist, making him a perfect model of Frédéric Chopin himself. Chopin was only 20 years old when he composed his first two piano concertos and was the soloist for their debuts in 1830. Lisiecki’s youth and musical enthusiasm on the stage carries the audience back to a time of sensibility and intuition. Led by conductor Peter Oundjian, Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is bridged between two contemporary pieces. Vivian Fung’s “Dust Devils” and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70. Each piece is juxtaposed with the piano concerto in their modern expressions. “Dust Devils” in its demonstration of the unseen tumultuous mind, Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70 in its rhythmic buoyancy. All the pieces performed will leave the audience impressed and touched by the effortless skill and emotional conveyance of the musicians.
The evening is dedicated to Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. And rightly so. Lisiecki delivers a flawless performance. The orchestra begins the piece with immediate gusto in the first movement, Allegro Maestoso. Lisiecki occasionally sways with the other instruments as he awaits his explosive entrance. Once Lisiecki enters, the piano trumps the night. The orchestra becomes a mere spectator to the scene taking place upon the ivory keys. During his time, and even still to this day, Chopin is often criticized for not fully grasping the intention of a concerto. Rather than continuously complementing the melody, Chopin’s concertos tend to be more of a conversation. Not always on the same wave length. The first movement of this piece holds true to that idea. The orchestra and piano seem to interrupt each other, each conveying something different. Lisiecki strikes the melody and the orchestra is forced to rebuttal. In the second movement, Romanze, the piano comes in perfectly contented. In this movement the orchestra and piano complement each other better than they had previously. However, Lisiecki serenely moves his hands along the keys in an attitude that makes him seem as if he is unaware of the harmony surrounding him. As he is fully absorbed in the melody, we are all intruders. The piece ends with a third movement, the Rondo. Each movement stands alone with the last one, offering bouncy dance rhythms that speak to the Polish roots of the composer.
Lisiecki’s performance was so impressive that a standing ovation was immediate with the reach of the last note. Lisiecki’s fingers had not even lifted from the keys before the entire audience was on their feet. The applause would not cease until Lisiecki reentered to perform an encore. Humbly, he gifted his grateful beneficiaries with a piece by Schumann.
Utah Symphony will be performing Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 only one more time. You do not want to miss witnessing such musical fidelity.
The Utah Symphony Presents Chopin’s Piano Concert No. 1
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Abravanel Hall, 123 W South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
January 11-12, 2019 7:30 PM
Tickets: $15-$89
Contact: 801-533-6683
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