By Lindsey Kelstrom
The sweet sounds of symphony with Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos 1&2 came from the Daines Concert Hall at Utah State University in Logan last night, and, once again, the talent of Utah Symphony made glad the hearts of those who listened
Caine College of the Arts presented Utah Symphony last night in my hometown of Logan to enjoy, wowing us with a beautiful performance of J. S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos 1&2, as well as more modern works from Pierre Boulez and Aaron Copland. Whenever I go to the symphony, I always wonder why I’ve been away for so long, because listening to live, beautiful music can be so soothing to the soul. I appreciate
The Brandenburg Concertos follow both a French composition style and Italian as well, varying by each movement. The Brandenburg Concertos show Bach’s ability for originality and breadth, breaking out of the box, so to speak, of typical concertos found in the Baroque period. So what does that all mean for a symphony novice like me, and maybe you? Simply put, more upbeat tempos, melodies featured by a manipulated and bright sound from the trumpets, and fewer solo instruments, utilizing instead a large or small group of instruments in the foreground to contrast and manipulate other instrumental groups in the piece. This leads to a noticeable emphasis in the synchronization and impeccable unity of similar instrument groups that dazzle not only the ears, but also the eye, and musically create a magical ebb and flow of emotions to each movement.
I especially enjoyed the standing of the brass instrument players near the end of the fourth movement that helped to create a sense of ushering in of what is left to the listeners’ imagination, but it was a definite poignant choice of movement for the performers. Speaking of movement, watching Swiss conductor of the Utah Symphony, Thierry Fischer, is a performance of its own. The Maestro used his own movements to remind instrumentalists of the sweeping progressions and emotions their performances are meant to evoke- his swaying to and fro, his hands gliding from one side to the next, I felt just as much emotion from him as from the orchestra. It was memorizing and energizing.
Stand-out performances came during the Brandeburg’s Concerto No. 2 with four instrumental soloists, Mercedes Smith on the flute, James Hall playing the oboe, Travis Peterson flying through the numerous trumpet solos, and Claude Halter on the violin. As the quartet played, their individual melodies created beautiful harmonies and movement, and left listeners impressed by the complexities of the note progressions and the amount of talent to perform such a piece.
Maestro Fischer also chose a piece for the first half of the concert that was placed in between Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 and Concerto No. 2, which he urged the audience to consider as part of one piece with Bach’s concertos. This was a more modern work, Derive 1, composed by Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), who is best known for fostering electronic and digital media into classical music. Though these electronic undertones are not present in this piece, it can give you an idea of his style. Maestro Fischer assures that the contrast of this piece can help us to bring a different approach to listening. He evens asked the audience to hold applause between the works until the intermission, to create this sense of unity. Derive 1 presents a modern, suspenseful atmosphere through music. Combined with Bach’s Concerto No. 1 previously played, the best way to explain it would be like a major scene change in a movie, transporting you from one time period to another. I didn’t think I would, but I liked it—very much.
The final half of the concert featured Symphony No. 3 by American composer Aaron Copland (1900-1990). The symphony lasts 38 minutes and in that time you feel the patriotism, the tug and pull of trial and conquer, the peacefulness of the land in its natural element, and the heartache and victory of the American dream. Using the familiar Fanfare theme near the completion of the piece, as well as the percussion giving the sense of horse hooves throughout the performance, and the woodwind instruments in the up-tempo movements to mimic bird sounds, audiences can see themselves from coast to coast, and in a time from Revolutionary times to present day beauties of the American expanse.
Utah Symphony’s performance at the Daines Concert Hall was a delight to experience. Symphonic music can express emotions where words and pictures fail, and it is good for the human heart to experience those feelings through music. So the next time the Utah Symphony plays near you, don’t hesitate to take this approach to entertainment and emotional human connection. Your ears, and heart, will be glad.
Caine College of the Arts presents Utah Symphony’s Brandenburg Concertos 1 & 2 by J.S. Bach.
Daines Concert Hall, University of Utah, 4030 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
November 15, 8:00 PM
Contact: 435-797-0305
Tickets: $15-$30
Caine College of the Arts Facebook Page
Utah Symphony Facebook Page
Utah Symphony’s Brandenburg Concertos 1 & 2 by J.S. Bach Facebook Event
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