Salt Lake City is a place that supports and nurtures art. From the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art to the Pioneer Theatre Company, there are plenty of places to go see and experience art. Naturally, Utah has its own premier, top-of-the-line spot for the grand and cherished art that is classical music. The Utah Symphony is the premier location for classical music in Utah.
The place of performance of the Utah Symphony is Maurice Abravanel Hall, a modern, gorgeous building that sets the right mood for the concerts. The actual performance hall itself creates a warm, relaxing atmosphere that gently guides the attention of the viewer to the stage. The stage has a square overlapping design, engaging the eyes to move across it and take it in.
The Pieces
The most recent performance of the Utah Symphony consisted of showing off two grand pieces of music: “Requiem” by Gabriel Fauré and “Symphony No. 6, ‘Pathétique’” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Like other requiems, the piece composed by Fauré focuses on death and life. The rich, all-consuming voice of the choir blends with the plucking strings of the symphony to create a pronounced contrast.
There is an all-consuming sense of dread that emanates from the stage as the choir sings of the end of days and the wrath of God that will come with it. In between that, the lyrics are pleading that the speaker will be able to walk among the saints when their time comes. Hope and dread walk hand in hand for this piece.
“Pathétique” was the last symphony ever written and performed by Tchaikovsky, and it carries that weight with it. Starting slow, it builds in its intensity yet never gets too excited. It explodes in a frantic, desperate rush before shaping that desperation into what can only be described as triumph. From there, it goes on and explores everything there is to explore in a symphony, even going into the beat of a march at times. There is a life being told on stage, and when it ends, and the silence in the hall lingers, that life is lost.
The drivers behind the music
The pieces are conducted masterfully by world-renowned conductor Markus Poschner. Watching him conduct is nothing short of mesmerizing. He flows from one beat to another, applying the right force and tact with every note. Passion emanates from Poschner throughout the entire two-hour performance, never wavering once.
Hailing from Provo, Utah, Shea Owens had an operatic solo during “Requiem,” his voice filling the hall and deepening the emotion of the piece. The choir during “Requiem” was conducted by Austin McWilliams. Of course, neither of these two pieces could be brought to life without the talents and skills of the Utah Symphony players and the Utah Symphony choir.
Though the year is coming to a close, there are still many events audiences can enjoy with the Utah Symphony. Some of the standouts are “Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy,” “Dancing In The Street: The Music of Motown,” “Markus Poschner conducts Strauss’ A Hero’s Life” and so much more. To see these shows is to see a live show consisting of people at the height of their craft, and that alone is worth the price of admission. Students can get discounted tickets to select shows with a valid UID.
