Ensemble delivers a first-rate performance

SALZBURG CHAMBER SOLOISTS, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah, March 26

Making their Salt Lake City debut Thursday, the Salzburg Chamber Soloists played a wonderful concert that spotlighted their astonishing artistry.

The handpicked ensemble of 21 players, under the direction of founder and concertmaster Lavard Skou-Larsen, are remarkable musicians, who are equally at home in the 18th century as they are in the 20th and beyond. The group's playing is polished and marked by precision and clarity of tone.

Their intonation is impeccable and their musicality ravishing. They showed the sizable audience in Libby Gardner Concert Hall what chamber ensemble playing is all about. The level at which they play is difficult to emulate, and, quite frankly, they can be placed into a class by themselves.

And hopefully, this isn't a one-time deal. They need to return.

They brought a glorious program with them that included Ludwig van Beethoven's Fourth Piano concerto, with soloist Andres Klein, in an arrangement by Beethoven for strings and piano.

This version brings out the expressiveness of this work much more clearly than the original does. Of the five, this is Beethoven's most lyrical piano concerto. And in the hands of great musicians such as these, the work receives its due.

And indeed this was a gorgeously crafted and played account that gave attention to details of dynamics, tempos and expression. A fine collaboration between the soloist and the orchestra was on display here. Klein's interpretative skills, his musicality and technical acumen allowed for a very musical reading, that was complemented by the ensemble.

Preceding the Beethoven in the first half, and the only non-Viennese piece on the program, was Heitor Villa-Lobos' Bachiana Brasileira No. 9.

The Brazilian Villa-Lobos wrote a series of works for various instrumental/vocal groupings called "bachianas brasileiras" that were intended to invoke Bach's spirit. Unfortunately, they're seldom played in concert. This, therefore, was a special treat to hear the last of this set of works that he wrote.

The opening prelude was beautifully nuanced, expressive and wonderfully fluid. The ensuing fugue of this two-movement work is rugged, and the ensemble played it crisply and with great articulation. One could hear the individual voices clearly and distinctly. And equally as important, the players invigorated their reading with fine rhythmic vitality and drive that made it purposeful and utterly captivating.

The second half was devoted to two early symphonies by Joseph Haydn and Amadeus Mozart.