UTAH SYMPHONY, Abravanel Hall, Nov. 16; second performance 8 p.m. Nov. 17, tickets at 801-355-2787, 888-451-2787 or www.utahsymphony.org
The perfect concert. There’s no other way to describe the Utah Symphony this weekend. Not only are works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Gustav Mahler on the program, but the weekend’s soloist is none other than Hilary Hahn – a superstar in the galaxy of young violinists.
Hilary Hahn (Photo Credit: Peter Miller)
One of the things that makes the 32-year-old virtuoso great is that she doesn’t just play the music – she lives it. She immerses herself totally in the work; she becomes a part of it. That is as readily apparent on recordings as it is in the concert hall.
She once again gave proof that she is a violinist without equal Friday in her performance of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto, a work that Jascha Heifetz premiered. At Friday’s concert she brought impeccable technique and exquisite musicality to her interpretation. It’s easy to downplay the musical merit of Korngold’s concerto – after all, it uses themes from several of his film scores. But the fact remains that Korngold was one of the best film composers of Hollywood’s golden age and one of the best composers of the early part of the 20th century.
And that’s how Hahn approached the concerto – as a work equal to the best in the genre. Her playing was immaculate in terms of technical finesse and expressiveness. She threw herself into the music and gave an account that was above all else musical.
Under music director Thierry Fischer the Utah Symphony matched Hahn in its playing. This was more than just accompaniment on the orchestra’s part – the players and Hahn were equal partners. It was a fabulous collaboration that turned this performance of the Korngold into the best that has ever been heard of this work in Abravanel Hall.
As an extra treat Hahn also played an encore, a movement from J.S. Bach’s Partita in E major for solo violin.
The evening opened with Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, Jupiter. Fischer’s reading was expansive, with rather slower tempos than what is normally heard. In the hands of a conductor of lesser talent this could have been disastrous. But Fischer’s account underscored the expressiveness of the music. Even the magnificent finale with its five separate themes was clearly defined and executed.
The orchestra played radiantly with precision and clarity and showed it can do Mozart’s music justice.
The Adagio from Mahler’s unfinished Symphony No. 10 was also on the program. And this was no ordinary reading of this monumental and tragic movement. Fischer delved into the score and captured the essence of the music. His account was exquisitely crafted and nuanced and yet also vibrant and alive.
The orchestra played wonderfully. The strings had a gorgeous, rounded tone, and each section played with passion and expression.