By Amanda Berg Whittle
The Utah Symphony never ceases to amaze me with their versatility—they can play any genre, any time—and their performance tonight at Abravanel Hall wherein they played Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” and “Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14” and Andrew Norman’s “Play” does not change my mind one bit. Rachmaninoff’s pieces are a bit of Debussy, Tchaikovsky, and Chopin all at once, whereas Norman’s piece reminds me of a mixture of Stravinsky and Cage. The pieces could not be more different, yet the Symphony adapts and is able to bring out the best in all three pieces.
Though the second act, I will begin by addressing the signature piece, Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2.” Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk is incredible, to say the least. He masters Rachmaninoff’s piece, which is an incredibly difficult task. He dexterity blows my mind, as Rachmaninoff wrote pieces he could play, but that surely does not mean everyone can. He had a disease called Marfan Syndrome, which causes those with the disease to have excessively long, slender fingers and toes (arachnodactyly, if you’re interested in the scientific term). As such, he could write pieces that are all but impossible for anyone except himself (or others with excessively long fingers). I did not get a chance to see Gavrylyuk’s fingers up close, but it did not matter at all, because he absolutely nailed it. He not only played the entire 32-minute piece memorized, there were parts where you could not tell which fingers were which because they were moving so vigorously. The piece is a fun mixture of slow, lyrical harmonies and exciting, fast runs, switching between the two, it seems, every few minutes, rather than every other movement (though the movements are nonetheless themed). This unique combination also allows the piece to feel melancholy yet hopeful, which, when you understand what was happening in Rachmaninoff’s life at the time, makes a lot of sense. You’d be surprised to find out this signature piece was the result of a four-year depression and writer’s block.
“Play” is a completely different animal. Full of chaos and dissonance, if you do not appreciate the genre, you will likely think it is noisy. For those who do appreciate the genre, they recognize its genius and why it won the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 2016 and why Norman won MusicalIt can be expensive to get original buy professional viagra though as one needs a prescription from a doctor before being able to viagra. If the obstruction is not too deep within the Himalayan mountains, oozing from the cracks http://www.devensec.com/rules-regs/decregs405.html buy generic viagra in rocks is where we find Shilajit. Working of Silagara is exactly similar to the branded levitra viagra Recommended storefront ones, the quality of the drugs is not compromised. sildenafil sales The herbs used not only cure the medicine. this is the time to change that idea. America’s Composer of the Year. Fortunately, Norman is present and explains the piece to the audience, giving advice about what to listen for specifically, which helps one understand its complexities far better than listening to it without any sort of explanation. And of course, conductor/musical director Thierry Fischer helps the Symphony accomplish greatness with this incredibly multifaceted and difficult piece. To be frank, it is an acquired taste. You either love it or hate it—I even disagreed about it with a friend of mine who was at the performance. I suppose you have to attend Saturday’s performance to find out what side you’re on. Rachmaninoff’s “Vocalise”, which is completely absent of vocals, speaks for itself. It is slow and beautiful, quite antithetical to “Play,” and as such, its perfect match to complete the first movement.
Saturday, March 23rd is the last night to see the Utah Symphony’s rendition of “Piano Concerto No. 2” and “Play,” but it is going to be an extra special performance. As a signature UNWOUND performance, the focus tomorrow is completely on the music. What is UNWOUND, exactly? It is the idea that classical music can be appreciated in a casual, fun environment. Have you ever been confused about when to clap during a classical music performance, or wanted to wear a t-shirt and jeans to the symphony instead of a blazer and suit pants? Well, Saturday’s performance is exactly what you need to go to. It will feature selections from both the Rachmaninoff and Norman pieces (rather than the entire pieces), which results in an extra family friendly hour-and-a-half long concert. Not to mention, there will be food trucks, a cash bar, and a photo booth. Saturday night, be sure you grab the kids, put on your fanciest dress or most casual sneakers (or both, because why not?), and make your way to Abravanel Hall to see the Utah Symphony perform and UNWOUND version of Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2.”
The Utah Symphony Presents: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (Unwound: Rach 2)
Abravanel Hall, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
March 22, 2019 7:30 PM, March 23, 2019 7:00 PM
Tickets: $20+
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Unwound: Rach 2 Facebook Event
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