It was certainly an incredibly dramatic evening at Abravanel Hall last night. The Utah Symphony performed a concert featuring works by Sergei Prokofiev and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky under the baton of an exciting guest conductor, Karina Canellakis. I really love the Russian composers so I thoroughly enjoyed this concert (my final two concerts this season feature Shostakovitch and Rachmaninoff so I am looking forward to them, as well). The orchestra began with Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman) by Cesar Franck. Although I was unfamiliar with this piece it was very easy to picture the events depicted. A count disregards the Sabbath by hunting and, as he chases his prey, he is also pursued by demons who wish to damn his soul. I loved the opening fanfare by the horns, representing the hunt, followed by the chimes, signifying church bells. It was very dark and atmospheric. Next the orchestra was joined by the brilliant Conrad Tao for Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2. Tao is a very popular soloist and I always try to see him when he joins the Utah Symphony (I missed his performance in February because I had the flu) because he is so much fun to watch. His fingers literally flew up and down the keyboard, especially in the wild and tumultuous first movement. After the intermission the orchestra played Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 "Little Russian." This piece incorporates many Russian folk songs and I found it to be both stirring and whimsical, especially the final movement with themes played by the woodwinds. I enjoyed this thrilling concert so much and I recommend getting a ticket for tonight's performance featuring the same program (go here).
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