EVELYN GLENNIE WITH THE UTAH SYMPHONY, Abravanel Hall, Friday; additional performance tonight, 8 p.m. (355-2787)
There's a good reason that Evelyn Glennie has earned a reputation for being one of the most dynamic performers alive today. And last night, in her performance with the Utah Symphony, Glennie met — maybe even surpassed — the high expectations that come with her reputation.
Premiering a new percussion concerto by Kevin Puts, which was co-commissioned by the Utah Symphony, Glennie wowed the audience with her passion, artistry, and amazing skill. The middle, lyric section, in particular, was gorgeous — thanks also, of course, to the composer.
Puts deserves recognition for creating an extraordinary work. The music was exciting and engaging, with a definite romantic bent to it — and in some respects, also hinted of film scores. Puts himself was there for the performance, giving an introduction and explanation of the piece prior to its performance. Let's hope this piece gets many repeat performances and a recording on a CD.
The only drawback to the performance of this piece was the lighting effects. Who thought it would be a good idea to shine lights in our eyes? Watching Glennie speed the mallets into a blur was a spectacle in itself and needed no enhancement — especially an "enhancement" that was, at best, distracting (with the changing colors), and additionally made it harder to see and hear what we all came to see and hear. (Audience members were spotted shielding their eyes with their programs.)
In addition to presenting a new piece, this concert was also unusual in that the second half also had a featured soloist: Utah Symphony pianist Jason Hardink. While his piece wasn't a concerto, he took the spotlight in Bernstein's Symphony No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra: "The Age of Anxiety."
Hardink is a sensitive and thoughtful pianist, and really gave an excellent performance of this work. He, together with the symphony, captured the sense of emptiness and aching isolation present in the piece. That was coupled with a wonderful musical experience, and the result was moving on both a musical and emotional level.
This weekend's performances also celebrate the release of the first commercial CD in almost 20 years by the Utah Symphony.
E-mail: rcline@desnews.com