Utah Symphony: Ives' work well done

UTAH SYMPHONY, PIETER WISPELWEY, CELLO, HUGH WOLFF, CONDUCTOR, Abravanel Hall, Dec. 3

Charles Ives had a great sense of humor, so it wouldn't really be farfetched to think that he would have a good laugh at the fact that people in the 21st century still cringe at the mere mention of his name. Surprisingly, more than 50 years after his death, Ives' music is still misunderstood, underplayed and unappreciated.

Ives was an iconoclast who defied convention and wrote what he felt and heard. He was an individualist who freely threw snippets of other composer's music into his own works, as well as bits and pieces of hymns, American folk songs, marching band tunes and other things -- oftentimes in a jumble of rhythms and clashing keys. Ives' music is distinctly American -- and proudly so -- and, to say the least, unique. He holds a significant place among the greats of 20th century American composers, yet he also has the distinction of being the least known among his contemporaries.

The Utah Symphony has never played a lot of Ives' music, but this weekend it went out on a limb and programmed his Second Symphony, written around the turn of the last century. And under the baton of guest conductor Hugh Wolff, who conducted the work without a score, the Utah Symphony played it fabulously.

The Second is quite tonal, except for the final movement's luridly dissonant closing chord, which Ives obviously threw in for effect and laughs. The work opens with a richly romantic sounding fugue scored mainly for strings. Wolff deftly brought out the nuances in the music and elicited a gorgeous round sound from the string section. The phrases were beautifully crafted and shaped.

Wolff's account of this and the other four movements of the symphony was very perceptive. He brought out every little detail in his crisp and precise direction. As the symphony progresses things begin to happen, with more musical quotes weaving their way into the score. It is a challenging work because of this and for the emotional intensity of the fugue and the radiantly expressive slow movement, but Wolff brought cohesiveness and clarity to his reading. It was a commanding and powerful performance by every section of the orchestra and did the music full justice.