First Days in Salt Lake City

It’s official! My Grand Teton Music Festival adventure has begun, and it has been amazing so far. Yesterday (Saturday, July 23) my day began with a flight to Salt Lake City, followed immediately by my first choir rehearsal with Dr. Barlow Bradford.

The first rehearsal was thrilling, with amazing cohesive tone and sound that filled the room from the first downbeat. It is pretty incredible to be singing in the ensemble, as me and my University Choirmate are most likely the youngest singers in the ensemble.

Mahler’s second symphony, known as the “Resurrection Symphony” has very special meaning. Mahler himself wrote the poem that accompanies the music, inspired by the loss of his children. It carries power, the desire to face the unknown, death, and risk head-on.

The music begins with a nearly 3-minute instrumental opener; the choir enters at such a quiet dynamic that they are almost inaudible, before breaking into harmonies. The music swells as the choir fills in chords before ending on a suspended chord, making space for solo soprano and alto. Throughout the piece, there are moments of sadness and reflection, symbolized by the dynamic levels of the choir. Towards the end of the piece, the choir erupts into full fortissimo, singing in nearly 8 divided parts as they proclaim the triumph of immortality.

English Translation of Text, provided by Houston Symphony:

O believe, my heart, oh believe,
Nothing will be lost to you!

Everything is yours that you have desired,
Yours, what you have loved, what you have struggled for.

O believe,
You were not born in vain,
Have not lived in vain, suffered in vain!

What was created must perish,
What has perished must rise again.
Tremble no more!
Prepare yourself to live!

O Sorrow, all-penetrating!
I have been wrested away from you!
O Death, all-conquering!
Now you are conquered!
With wings that I won
In the passionate strivings of love
I shall mount
To the light to which no sight has penetrated.
I shall die, so as to live!

Arise, yes, you will arise from the dead,
My heart, in an instant!
What you have conquered
Will bear you to God.

– Gustav Mahler

After an inspiring rehearsal, my choirmate and I joined one of our hosts for a tour of downtown Salt Lake City, including a visit to Temple Square, home of the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. In addition, we visited the LDS conference center and museums, so that we could learn more about the rich history of religion in Utah.

We finished the evening with a delicious snack of cheese, fresh fruit, and crackers before heading off to bed, excited to actually hear the Tabernacle Choir sing the following morning.