By Benedicte Dansie
St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Park City, Utah, has quickly become my favorite venue of the Deer Valley Music Festival. The smaller size of the venue and the unobtrusive beauty of the building create a warm, peaceful environment for the Utah Symphony, as was the case with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.23 on July 31. No matter who you are, there’s something tranquil about being tucked away in the mountain cathedral listening to the swelling chorus of the Symphony.
The night opened with Mozart Concerto No.23 in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, K. 488, played by guest soloist Aristo Sham. Sham, though young, is internationally acclaimed and has played across the world, both alone and with other groups such as the London Symphony Orchestra. When you watch Sham play, you can’t help but be drawn in by the way he moves and emotes. He’s extremely expressive, and you not only see how passionate he is about playing, but you feel it as the music washes over you. Sham has a beautiful touch, light and airy, yet completely in control with a precise articulation that makes each note ring out clearly.
The concerto itself was a lovely piece split into three distinct movements that bring their own delights. The first allegro was very beautiful and intricate. The piano part was comprised of rapid-fire scales and arpeggios that stole the audience’s breath away. It was a call and answer between the pianist and symphony that somehow still managed to flow seamlessly from part to part. The second movement was slower and a little more somber. It seemed to match the misty, rainy mood of the world outside the chapel. This movement was more delicate, and to me it seemed to convey more beauty as it felt more thoughtful. The third movement took off in a bright flurry, which was what the previous two movements had been growing into. It combined the themes of darkness and light, twisting them into a thrilling close. Much to the excitement of the audience, Sham returned to the stage to play an encore of Brahms’ Piano Sonata No.3. The piece was stunning, an incredible balance of darker legato and quick staccato bursts. Technically, it was incredibly difficult, yet Sham looked content and at ease as he leapt through the movements.
After a brief intermission the Symphony played Arvo Pärt’sWenn Bach Bienen gezüchtet hätte…which translates to “If Bach had been a Beekeeper.” This was an intriguing piece which conductor Conner Gray Covington gave a brief introduction to. Covington explained that the piece is based around four notes and four chords, all which spell out BACH. (In German B natural is written as an H). This is like a signature and a nod at Bach and the influence he had on the composer. The piece was originally titled “Portrait of a Musicologist Against a Backdrop of a Wasp’s Nest,” which is exactly what it sounded like. There were countless elements to the piece such as the use of tremolo, ponticello, percussion, and many differing rhythms. It moved swiftly and was an interesting piece to listen to, to say the least.
The night concluded with Brahms’ Serenade No.2 in A Major, Op. 16. As with many of Brahms’ pieces, this serenade had all the lovely qualities of a lulling lullaby. The different movements shifted between smooth and airy, melodic and pleasant, dark and sweeping, playful and lively. It was a nice, well-rounded piece that featured a little something for everyone.
This performance featured a fascinating mix of pieces which flowed divinely well from one into another, despite their differences in style. Sham’s spectacular playing added a whole new level of beauty to the night and left the audience absolutely charmed. As the Deer Valley season begins to wind down, I highly suggest heading up to catch an evening performance at either St. Mary’s or the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater.
Deer Valley Music Festival and the Utah Symphony Presents Schumann’s Cello Concerto.
St. Mary of the Assumption, 1505 White Pine Canyon Rd, Park City, UT 84060, USA
Tickets: $15-50
July 31, 2019 8:00 PM
Deer Valley Music Festival Page
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