VIVALDI BY CANDLELIGHT, First Presbyterian Church, Dec. 15

Vivaldi by Candlelight has been a holiday tradition for 30 years, and according to music director Gerald Elias there is no better way to celebrate the anniversary than by playing The Four Seasons.

Gerald Elias

Elias is right. The Four Seasons is without doubt one of Vivaldi’s best known and most loved works, and as such is the perfect choice to mark the occasion. Vivaldi’s work has stood the test of time and so has the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy’s benefit concert, Vivaldi by Candlelight. Both have been around a long time and both fortunately look like they’re here to stay.

For this performance, though, Elias took a different approach. Instead of just having one soloist play all four of the concertos that make up The Four Seasons, he had a different soloist for each one. All are members of the Utah Symphony and former colleagues of Elias’ (he was the symphony’s associate concertmaster for many years until retiring from the position last year).

The four who played were Lynnette Stewart (“Spring”); David Langr (“Summer”); Stephanie Cathcart (“Autumn”); and David Porter (“Winter”). Each brought something different to his/her part, making this a truly unique and memorable performance. But there was also much in common among the four. What each of them brought to their respective concerto was beautifully shaped playing, gorgeous phrasing, delicate lyricism and vibrant virtuosity. With their immaculate artistry they made these works sparkle.

Making their performances even more special was the addition of the sonnets Vivaldi wrote to accompany The Four Seasons. These were narrated by guest artist David Cowley, principal oboe of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and an old friend of Elias’.

Cowley also played a pair of concertos to start the evening. First, he and Elias teamed up to play J.S. Bach’s Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor, BWV 1060R. Both brought their artistry to bear in this work, playing with richly modulated expressiveness and finely crafted lyricism.

After the Bach, Cowley and Utah Symphony principal oboe Robert Stephenson joined forces in Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes in D minor, RV 535. The two were well matched and brought a wonderfully broad palette of expression and feeling to this rather dark and somber work.

Under Elias’ baton, the Vivaldi Virtuosi, made up of Utah Symphony members and freelancers, played with nuanced expressions and seamless phrasings.