This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Symphony's repertoire this weekend consists of some of the least-performed works of some of the most-performed composers.

A strong conductor and orchestra can make these less-appreciated compositions sound top-shelf, and that's what happened Friday under the direction of Austrian conductor Hans Graf.

Pianist Jeffrey Kahane also had a major hand in the evening's success. Kahane, who's particularly known for his mastery of works from the Classical period, performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 — which actually was Beethoven's first effort in the genre and shows a clear debt to Mozart. Kahane's fingers danced through the concerto with effortless charm, dazzling the crowd with a fairly florid cadenza in the first movement. Accompaniment from the Utah Symphony was seamless, with an especially magical pianissimo section closing the slow movement.

Graf's incisive reading of Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 sliced through the sentimentality so that even those who find the composer's charms elusive, at best, could find something to appreciate. Of special note were Louise Vickerman's beautifully shaded harp playing and the trumpeters' execution of some devilishly intricate writing.

Mozart's Symphony No. 19 opened the evening. A Baroque-flavored minuet was the highlight of this performance. —

Utah Symphony

Music of Mozart, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff.

With • Conductor Hans Graf and pianist Jeffrey Kahane

When • Reviewed Friday, Dec. 2; repeats Saturday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Where • Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City

Tickets • $26-$84; utahsymphony.org

Running time • 2 hours, including intermission