Hadelich returns to Utah Symphony with memorable Brahms
Augustin Hadelich is back on stage in Abravanel Hall this weekend after a three-year absence, playing Brahms’ magnificent Violin Concerto.
One of the composer’s most melodic orchestral works, the concerto teems with lyrical beauty. Even the occasional bursts of romantic passion in the outer movements are tempered with an innocuous melodicism that allow the soloist to explore the gamut of his expressive range. And Hadelich, together with guest conductor Elim Chan in her Utah Symphony debut, did a fabulous job of bringing this to the forefront in a finely honed collaborative effort.
A consummate violinist, the German-born Hadelich played with depth and well-defined dynamics that allowed him to put his mark on the music, whether in the softest piano passages or the loudest forte sections. The dramatic moments, of which there are several in the opening movement, especially, were neither overplayed or over-emoted. Instead, Hadelich emphasized the underlying lyricism of these impassioned passages, thereby bringing a wonderful cohesiveness to the music.
To Chan’s credit, she was sensitive to the soloist’s interpretation and allowed the orchestra to mirror his delicate expressiveness. This was one of the finest collaborations between soloist and orchestra that this reviewer has witnessed in a long time.
Particularly striking was the slow movement. In Hadelich’s light, fluid playing and Chan’s subtle accompaniment, they imparted an almost dream-like quality to the music that underscored its evocative tenderness, aided by Zac Hammond’s sensitive oboe solos. This was definitely the highlight of this performance.
Hadelich rewarded the audience’s boisterous standing ovation at the end of the concerto with an encore, his wickedly witty and virtuosic arrangement of the fiddle tune Orange Blossom Special.
The concert opened with Elizabeth Ogonek’s Moondog. Shimmering sonorities throughout the ten-minute piece created a wonderfully lustrous atmosphere. Chan captured this evocative soundscape with her well crafted reading that underscored the delicate interplay among the various sections of the orchestra.
Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, a Utah audience favorite and oft-programmed work, concluded the program.
Chan gave a powerful reading of the work that captured the drama and romantic passion of the outer movements and brought seamless transitions between Rachmaninoff’s ever- changing dynamics and textures. She coaxed crisp, decisive playing from the orchestra that underscored the vitality and rhythmic drive of the music.
Especially noteworthy in the first movement was Daron Bradford’s beautifully played saxophone solo. Utah’s premiere sax player, Bradford brought poised expression and seductive lyricism to his playing that was developed further by the violins.
The third movement with its “Dies irae” motive was defined by bold sweeping lines that delineated the dramatic fervor of the music. The slow section here didn’t fare quite as well, with Chan’s dragging tempo resulting in rather losing shape of the phrases and broader movement.
Similarly, while the outer movements were mostly well defined under Chan’s direction, the middle movement suffered from a lack of focus and lackluster podium leadership. Chan chose such a deadly slow tempo—much slower than the Andante con moto marking— there was no definition and little con moto.
The program will be repeated 5:30 p.m. Saturday. utahsymphony.org
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