By Amanda Berg Whittle
The Utah Symphony, Utah Symphony Choir, and University of Utah Choirs present Bernstein at 100: Chichester Psalms and Divertimento at Abravanel Hall Friday March 2 and Saturday March 2 only. Along with music by Leonard Bernstein (Chichester Psalms and Divertimento for Orchestra), the choir and symphony are performing music by Camille Saint-Saëns (Symphony in A Major) and Igor Stravinsky (Symphony of Psalms). Despite knowing all these composers and their music quite well, I had never heard these pieces before.
Fortunately, the symphony provides explanations for the creation and presentation of the pieces in the programs, some of which include interesting facts, like how Saint-Saëns actually began writing symphonies at age 15 and wrote this symphony at 17. The quality and complexity of the music suggest great maturity in the composer, and knowing it was written when he was only 17 brings even more awe to the performance. My favorite part of this piece was when conductor Thierry Fischer became so enthralled by the music he accidentally threw his baton at a cellist. Of course, he recognized this and laughed it off with everyone else. I appreciate a conductor who is passionate–this is a Leonard Bernstein birthday performance, after all. If you don’t know what I mean, look up Leonard Bernstein conducting. He was one passionate conductor.
The second piece, Chichester Psalms, was actually written by Bernstein as a tribute to John F. Kennedy after his assassination. Youth choristers Oliver Laughlin and Anthony Villanueva of the Madeleine Choir School both have rich voices, with the extreme clarity and beauty one would expect from high quality choristers. Between their youthful voices and the mature sound of the full university choirs, along with the fabulous symphony, it feels like we are attending a large Catholic mass (though Bernstein is Jewish). The University of Utah and Utah Symphony choirs have a much fuller sound than one would expect from choirs with many young members, sounding almost equal to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in maturity. I’m sure choir director Barlow Bradford, who is a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, helps them accomplish that sound beautifully with his immense skill and experience. Of course, the Utah Symphony brings its world class talent to every piece it ever plays, and this performance is no exception. One interesting thing I read in the program is this piece is technically in the key of “B-flat majorish,” with the slightest atonality (but not too much), which is quite out of character for Bernstein, but in character for a piece about assassination.
Stravinsky’s piece, Symphony of Psalms, was also noticeably out of character for this Russian-born composer, pianist, and conductor. Rather than the dissonant, fast, almost scary sounding Rite of Spring sound we are used to with Stravinsky, The Symphony of Psalms is slow and has a romantic era sound, which with the choir, emulates a Catholic mass as well. To be honest, I usually dislike Stravinsky’s music immensely, but really enjoyed this piece, so if you’re not a Stravinsky fan, don’t be deterred by his name in this program.
The final piece was more like the Bernstein I know–it was short but fun, with eight movements in fourteen minutes. All the movements are distinct and unique, from the Samba to the Waltz to the super adorable Turkey Trot. To me, they saved the best for last in this performance, because this piece helped pep us up after listening to powerful yet slow and often mellow pieces for the previous hour and a half. Be sure to go to Abravanel Hall tonight only, because these Psalms will have you singing “hallelujah!” This performance is one of multiple Bernstein at 100 performances the Symphony will be presenting this year, so if you can’t make it tonight, be sure to make it to another performance. Bernstein was a truly one-of-a-kind composer–unequivocally one of the greatest, if not the greatest, American composer of all time.
(One last thing: I promised my friends in the choir I would call them out in my review when they found out I was reviewing this performance, so great job to my fellow Salt Lake Institute Singers: Jacob Young, Victoria Hansen, Ana Miranda, Jessica Jones, Abby Broadbent, Cole Parker, and Jacob Schickedaz. Great job, friends!)
Utah Symphony Presents: Bernstein at 100: Chichester Psalms & Divertimento
March 2-3, 2018 7:30 PM
Abravanel Hall,123 W South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
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Contact: 801-533-NOTE (6683)
Tickets: $15-$83 Family night pricing is available for this performance: $30 for 2 adults and 2 children, additional children $5 each
GENERAL AGE GUIDELINE: Individuals ages five and older are welcome at this performance. Parents should ensure their children are able to sit quietly through the performance without disturbing others around them. No babes in arms will be admitted.
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