On January 31st, 2014,
Conrad Tao joined the
Utah Symphony and maestro
Thierry Fischer for a performance of
Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no. 3 in C major. This 1913 concerto is probably Prokofiev's most loved and best known. Prokofiev is a master of the orchestral instrument and truly knows how to use the orchestra in it's most colorful and idiomatic ways. Every moment of the work is exciting, gut-wrenching, and passionate. Conrad Tao dazzled the Salt Lake City audience. A true prodigy, at age 19, there are few pianists who have the technical prowess as this wunderkid. Despite his incredible ability and intricacy however, Tao lacks the musicality of a more mature player and though he plays incredibly fast passages excellently, the inner phrases and greater phrases are lost in the spectacle. Salt Lake City loves Tao, and he offered a well-performed encore after his first curtain call. Surely he will be back!
The program was opened by
Chen Yi's "Wu Xing" a piece that recalls
the five elements. The piece was incredibly cinematic even though it's style was very 20th-century. As part of its "
Silk and Spices" festival, "Wu Xing" was a Utah premier by this prominent Chinese composer. A well-crafted piece, the symphony played it well and showed their commitment to new art as well as more "classic" repertoire.
Wrapping up the program was
Symphony No. 4 by Tchaikovsky. Initially rejected by critics and audiences, the symphony has become more beloved in contemporary times. The piece can be regarded as difficult to understand as we hear Tchaikovsky struggle to adhere to Classical forms, yet shows a desire to; a poignant metaphor for Tchaikovsky's personal life. The piece is rich in emotional content and the symphony played it with all the passion it deserved and Tchaikovsky struggles the balance of form and structure, melody and countermelody, and development and restraint. Utah Symphony and Thierry Fischer gave a solid understanding of Tchaikovsky's intent and a marvelous performance of this popular work. All-around, it was another wonderful night at the Utah Symphony!
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