Clerici conducts Tchaikovsky

On Tchaikovsky’s ‘Pathétique’:

Tchaikovsky described the ‘Pathétique’ as his greatest work. What makes this symphony stand out for you personally as a conductor?

Tchaikovsky evolved strongly each symphony he wrote. His sixth is his most complex from both compositional and emotional points of view, so for a conductor it is a great challenge to pace, control the emotional arc in order not to peak too soon and make it flow.

On collaboration with Konstantin Shamray:

Konstantin Shamray is renowned for his expressive playing. How does his artistry shape your interpretation of the ‘Egyptian’ concerto?

I don’t actually know and I won’t until we will play this concerto together! But it was Konstantin who suggested this piece. He has played it a few times in recent years and my philosophy with soloists that I love is to let them choose what they really want to play instead of imposing my ideas. So I am as curious as the audience about this!

How does working with a soloist like Konstantin influence the dynamic between the conductor, orchestra, and soloist during the performance?

The concerto is the soloist's piece and the conductor’s role is to support the soloist and connect him with the orchestra. Often the distance between the soloist and some of the musicians (winds and brass) is the biggest barrier to be able to play chamber music, which is the ultimate goal of any musical performance. Therefore I try to help their listening, connecting and enhancing it, linking the different parts together with the soloist. My goal, in this case, is to become “invisible”, while still keeping control of the situation.

On the programme as a whole:

The concert spans a wide range of moods and cultures, from the light and lively to the deeply poignant. What is the unifying thread for you as a conductor in tying these works together?

The first part is unified thought the classicism in style and the middle-east flavour. Between the two halves, however, it is more about the balance of the programme and its inner variety, in order to give our audience a rich emotional experience.

What do you hope audiences will take away from this programme, particularly in experiencing the dramatic contrast between the first half and Tchaikovsky’s symphony?

The first half will be bright and entertaining. But the second will change drastically: I believe we live in a time of light-hearted and quick emotions. Tchaikovsky’s sorrow for his sad life, his struggle with self-esteem, depression and his homosexuality that he had to hide are themes that we try to avoid in art and music. His Pathétique is such an experience, if we are open to it, that we might remember for very long time because it can be really powerful and cathartic.