Notwithstanding the sterling musical credentials of the annual Vivaldi Candlelight Concert at the Cathedral Church of St. Mark, the concert appeals to far more than just one's sense of hearing.
As has been the tradition for 16 years now, the event sensually envelops the listener. He sits down in an ornate, if smallish, cathedral embodying many hundreds of years of religious tradition within its walls. He is bathed in the soft, flickering glow of candlelight rather than its bright, unyielding modern equivalent, while standards of the baroque period wash over him.It's more than a concert. It's an experience.
"It's a wonderful venue for it, and having all the candlelight and everything makes for a wonderful atmosphere," said Carol Kounanis, chairwoman of the event committee. "It's a very elegant and very enjoyable evening. People look forward to it."
The reception afterward, complete with tasty refreshments and mingling with the artists, completes the evening.
At first the concerts were devoted exclusively to the music of the Italian Antonio Vivaldi, who composed a wide range of pieces in the 17th and 18th centuries (he is known primarily for his instrumental numbers, the most famous of which is "The Four Seasons"). However, over time the concerts came to include other examples of baroque music.
This year, in addition to two Vivaldi concertos and a Vivaldi sonata featuring oboe, violin and harpsichord, the program will include an Albinoni concerto for two oboes and a Telemann concerto for three horns.
"We have focused on baroque, so you're not going to be skipping around time periods," Kounanis said. "It's a nice mix for a holiday sound."
The music was deliberately chosen to be widely accessible, so that even people uneducated in the classics can enjoy and appreciate it. A 15-piece chamber orchestra, comprising primarily members of the Utah Symphony, will accompany the soloists.
Vivaldi's charitable works during his life coincide with the purpose of the concert. The composer did a lot of work for a hospital for young abandoned girls, including instructing the girls in music -- the Vivaldi Candlelight Concerts benefit the international Visitors Utah Council, which hosts foreign visitors to the state.
Tickets, $35, are available by calling 532-4747. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.