German conductor Clemens Schuldt, 40, gave his first concert on Wednesday as designated musical director of the Orchester symphonique de Québec. At the end of a triumphant evening, this inventive and dynamic musician was largely convinced that he was the right choice and that he was going to breathe new life into the orchestra.
The appointment of Clemens Schuldt after a single test concert may have come as a surprise. But sometimes we understand the obvious things right away. This is what happened to us on Wednesday, since we discovered this chef, particularly in the 8th Symphony by Dvorak.
From the outset, Schuldt interested. He is a very lively conductor who feeds a spirited discourse animated by real interpretative ideas. In Dvořák’s symphony, as the speech becomes more square and cutting, the timpani sticks are a little harder to generate a more cut sound. In the 3e movement, Schuldt does not hesitate to overplay the second violins to highlight a thematic circulation.
If Clemens Schuldt is a performer who sprinkles music with luminous intuitions, it is also very clear that he belongs to the race of conductors descended from string instrumentalists (he was a violinist before becoming a conductor). His work relies heavily on the strings with exceptional dynamic control work. It’s a safe bet that we haven’t often heard such refinement in recent years in Quebec. What we lacked a bit was an extra jubilant edge in the woodwind and brass attacks. We’ll be on the lookout next time as to whether Schuldt has as many ideas for the winds as he has for the strings.
Tributes felt
The OSQ responded with fervor to the enthusiastic and elegant gestures of its new leader, who is also an excellent guide in the cello concerto of Elgar. This was presented very honorably by Camille Thomas who, unless I am mistaken, plays the cello that belonged to Emanuel Feuermann, an instrument of great beauty from which we could no doubt extract even more riches. The poses inspired by the musician-actress serve as an interpretation in themselves and condition the listening. The problem for the soloist is then to fall into the contemplation of his own playing, a cute sin of many interpreters in this concerto, which deserves to move forward with more stature. There was nothing dishonorable on Wednesday, but, judging by what we saw in San Diego in May 2022, when Rafael Payare brings his wife Alisa Weilerstein to us to play this, it will be something else entirely.
The gesture of keeping Oesterle, a Quebecer of German origin, on the program was symbolic, but Intermission could have waited for a future concert because this skilful mobile perpetuum sounded a bit strange in the first notes of an induction concert by a conductor who had just proclaimed that he wanted to “surf the wave of enthusiasm and capture the energy”.
Speaking of declarations, Schuldt, who is very good at French, will quickly learn that in Quebec when someone has taken up residence in Quebec, like Oesterle, they say they are Quebecers and they don’t hammer the word “Canadian” several times. Moreover, the conductor was entitled to say: “We have a formidable orchestra” rather than: “You have”. He is no longer a guest or observer; he is now part of the “gang”.
Before the chef, general manager Astrid Chouinard, deputy mayor and deputy for culture of the City of Quebec, Catherine Vallières-Roland, as well as Jonatan Julien, minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region, all found words fair and encouraging to welcome Clemens Schuldt and celebrate the moment. The OSQ had even shot a nice film in Paris where Fabien Gabel symbolically handed over the baton to his successor.