By Amanda Berg
The Utah Symphony in Salt Lake City has chosen wonderful music this year, as always, but this performance is a bit different. If you enjoy classical music, you need to see tomorrow’s performance, because the three pieces played in this performance are quite unique, a bit quirky, and completely beautiful. George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 “The Great C Major” are all unique in their own ways. The title piece they are playing is “An American in Paris,” however, which is one of my favorite pieces.
I played “An American in Paris” when I was in ninth grade all-county orchestra and loved it so much I bet I could pick up my French horn and play the 3rd horn part memorized ten years later right this minute if I wanted to. Also, Gershwin is my celebrity crush and always has been. The piece makes you feel like you’re in the Paris in the 1920s—it’s jazzy yet classical and has many fun sound effects such as honking cars. When I played it, the conductor asked us to imagine the piece being “the epitome of New York,” because we lived in New York, so she wanted it to be relatable for the musicians. The statement is not 100% accurate because the piece is supposed to be set in Paris, but the idea is the same. You are transported to a different place, with all the lights and exhilaration of the big city, yet there are also parts where you feel like you are in a small Paris café in the evening, drinking a cappuccino and watching people mosey by. It is truly an amazing piece, and of course, the Utah Symphony does a wonderful job portraying exactly what Gershwin wrote. I would like to give a shout out to the saxophone players, who are usually not part of a symphony but have a vital role in this piece to maintain an appropriate amount of “jazziness.”
The other two pieces are likewise fabulous. Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G is a masterpiece, which can only truly be accomplished by masterful pianists such as Alexandre Tharaud. It is a perfect blend of peculiar and beautiful, fast and slow, and is a fantastic addition to the title piece, despite Ravel having a vastly different composition style than Gershwin. The first movement is fast, almost frantic, and quite dissonant, yet the second movement is melodic and lovely, like a sigh of relief. Both Tharaud and conductor Thierry Fischer conquer its challenging and sometimes rather startling tempo and mood changes.
Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 is a very long yet stimulating piece. It is interesting to note how the pieces become less and less Gershwin-like as the performance goes on. To be honest, I will sometimes fall asleep during hour-long symphonies, but it is impossible to do so during this one, because it remains exciting the entire time, even during the more melodic, slow sections. However, this is not a performance I would recommend bringing a child to who is not used to classical music or symphony performances. As sometimes the Symphony has performances that are family friendly, fun, and upbeat, this performance is more for the classical music lover who does not mind sitting still and listening to a 49-minute symphony.
Tomorrow only (September 29th), you have the chance to see the Utah Symphony performing one of my favorite pieces of all time. Additionally, this performance would be a perfect introduction to classical music for someone who has never been to the symphony but would love to have a taste of what classical music is like. The mixture of Gershwin’s quirk, Ravel’s modern well-organized cacophony, and Schubert’s classic sound make this performance exactly what a up and coming classical music enthusiast should be exposed to if they want to have a taste of all sorts of classical music, not just your average Mozart and Bach. If you’re especially interested in learning more about the pieces, there is a pre-concert lecture at 6:45 discussing them, as well.
The Utah Symphony Presents An American in Paris
Abravanel Hall, 123 West South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
September 28-29, 2018 7:30 PM
Tickets: $30+
Utah Symphony Facebook Page
An American In Paris Facebook Event
0 Comments