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Mahler's Symphony No. 9 carries a certain mystique by virtue of being the composer's last completed symphony — even though, as Utah Symphony exec Jeff Counts sagely pointed out in a program essay for this weekend's concerts, "the position of No. 9 as the final chapter is something that happens only for us, not Mahler." Still, there is something special about this music, a profound meditation on life and death, and the orchestra gave a remarkable performance of it Friday night. The weekend's season-concluding concerts also mark the end of music director's two-year Mahler symphony cycle with the orchestra.
The Ninth includes extended passages of turbulence and brilliant color, but the composer speaks most eloquently at low volume. The Utah Symphony string players gave one of their finest performances, finishing the 90-minute marathon with a beautifully controlled whisper of sound. Harpist Louise Vickerman was magnificent throughout, especially in the instrument's low register, and hornist Edmund Rollett was at the forefront of a heroic performance by the brass.
Do those closing pages represent a surrender, a slide into oblivion or something else? Fischer held off the applause for a full 10 seconds to encourage the audience to contemplate. —
Utah Symphony
Thierry Fischer and the orchestra close their season, and their two-year Mahler symphony cycle, with a performance of the Austrian composer's Symphony No. 9.
When • Reviewed Friday, May 27; repeats Saturday, May 28, at 7:30 p.m.
Where • Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City
Tickets • $23-$84; utahsymphony.org
Running time • About 90 minutes; no intermission