»The best way to serve music is to serve composers in the best possible way.«

On September 28th, in Munich, the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música will debut in one of Europe’s most important contemporary music series, musica viva, where it will perform, under the baton of its current conductor, Stefan Blunier, works by Emmanuel Nunes and Helmut Lachenmann. Lachenmann himself will accompany the orchestra in its presentation in Bavaria. On the occasion of this concert, we interviewed António Jorge Pacheco, artistic director of Casa da Música in Porto and one of the main figures behind the prestige and international visibility that this auditorium has gained in recent years.

Paco Yáñez: As far as I know, the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música will be the first orchestra from the Iberian Peninsula to debut in such an important series as musica viva. What does this presentation of your orchestra in Bavaria means to you as the artistic director of Casa da Música?

António Jorge Pacheco: Like many of my European colleagues, I regularly attend the musica viva series of Bavarian Radio. I know well what this series of concerts dedicated to contemporary creation means in the current European musical landscape and its historical role after World War II.

The number of world premieres I have attended there —notably, of works co-commissioned by Casa da Música— is remarkable. New works by Harrison Birtwistle, Georges Aperghis, or Rebecca Saunders, performed by the best orchestras in the world, including the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, were later heard for the first time in Portugal by Casa da Música ensembles; in this case, by the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música and the Remix Ensemble Casa da Música. An extraordinary moment was the long-awaited premiere of the last orchestral work by Helmut Lachenmann, My Melodies (2016-23), for eight horns and orchestra. Unforgettable, »We happy few.«

This presentation of the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música represents above all, in this historical context, a great responsibility, but also a source of pride for the Casa da Música’s staff, its musicians, and its organization. And the concert will be perpetuated by the Bavarian Radio.

For me, in the last year of my tenure as artistic director, it represents all that, but also the culmination of a journey of more than twenty years, made of passion, much obstinacy, and perhaps something more that I will not be the one to define.

Yáñez: The presence of the Sinfónica do Porto in musica viva is not only due to its active relationship with contemporary creation, but also to the great moment this orchestra is experiencing. I understand that you played a crucial role in the renewal of its lineup, adding to the work of its principal conductors and that of the distinguished international guest conductors.

Pacheco: Observing the symphonic reality of Central Europe, it is easy to conclude that only great motivation would lead the musica viva series in Munich to invite an orchestra based in Porto. Furthermore, this is the annual concert promoted by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation (the prestigious »räsonanz« concert), an institution that has consistently supported Casa da Música in the contemporary component of its programming.

The renewal of the orchestra is something that happens by natural law. The way the selection of new musicians was carried out is the result of a collective ambition and the criteria of the audition juries. At this point, we must not forget the role that the current principal conductor, Stefan Blunier, and the previous one, Baldur Brönnimann, have played in the extraordinary artistic development of the orchestra and, the latter, in its growing credibility in the interpretation of contemporary music. Moreover, the good shape you refer to is also the work of a group of notable conductors who wanted to be part of this journey: the late Peter Eötvös, Michael Sanderling, John Storgårds, Sylvain Cambreling, Heinz Holliger, Eliahu Inbal, Lothar Zagrosek, Emilio Pomàrico, Peter Rundel, and, more recently, David Robertson, among several others.

Yáñez: Under the direction of Stefan Blunier and in the company of the Arditti Quartet, the program includes two major works from the late 20th century: Ruf (1977) by Emmanuel Nunes and Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied (1979-80) by Helmut Lachenmann. Why this program, and what can you tell us about these works?

Pacheco: The program was conceived jointly by Winrich Hopp (artistic director of the musica viva series) and myself, with the full complicity of Maestro Stefan Blunier and Rui Pereira (my deputy director and head of the orchestra), taking as a starting point, in an initial conversation, the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the 25th of April [the Carnation Revolution] in Germany. I don’t want this extramusical framework to be forgotten. From there, and to the choice of these two composers, it didn’t take a big epistemological leap. Combining the music of Helmut Lachenmann (about to turn ninety) with that of Emmanuel Nunes (who passed away in September 2012), for what they represent, seemed to us, in this particular context, an obvious choice; necessary, even.

From an aesthetic and technical point of view, using such different instrumental setups, Ruf and Tanzsuite have little in common. But, interestingly enough, both were premiered within three years, between 1977 and 1980, respectively, and by the same ensemble: the famous Southwest German Radio Orchestra Baden-Baden —dismantled in 2012 by an unfortunate merger decision.

Lachenmann and Nunes use vocabularies, grammars, and syntaxes that are very much their own and completely different from each other. If necessary, their music can dialogue in German: both are rooted in the same tradition. Indeed, both Tanzsuite and Ruf, from the Donaueschingen platform, represented —each in its own way— turning points in their recognition as major composers.

Yáñez: Emmanuel Nunes, in 2007, and Helmut Lachenmann, in 2015, were composers-in-residence at Casa da Música, although both collaborated with you on several occasions. What memories do you have of working with these composers in Porto?

Pacheco: Your question contains another of the most immediate explanations for the decision to include both composers in our Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música’s debut in Munich. Nunes and Lachenmann are among the composers who have been most present at Casa da Música, before, during, and after being »composers-in-residence.« Whenever their works were programmed in Casa da Música, their accompaniment of the rehearsal process was intense, generous, and demanding, invariably leaving behind a lesson in artistic integrity and the poise of true charisma with the public, musicians, young composers, and all those who accompanied them during their stays in Porto or on tour.

Of course, these qualities are not exclusive to Lachenmann and Nunes, but they possessed them in a way that is only within the reach of great human geniuses.

Personally, I can only say that I am privileged to have been able to accompany so closely two exceptional artists, from whom I learned so much and to whom I owe so much. Fortunately, with Helmut, the possibility of continuing to work together has not ended, and he will have, until the end of this year, two more significant musical moments, with Tanzsuite in Porto and Munich in September, and with Concertini (2004-05) at the of the Remix Ensemble Academy – Special Edition in December.

Yáñez: Nunes and Lachenmann join a long list of composers-in-residence who, since 2007, have formed a very substantial part of Casa da Música’s history, such as Magnus Lindberg, Jonathan Harvey, Kaija Saariaho, Péter Eötvös, Heinz Holliger, Harrison Birtwistle, or Rebecca Saunders, among many others. What have you gained from this continuous work with the great masters of our time over nearly twenty years?

Pacheco: …and so many, so many Portuguese composers… and Unsuk Chin, Pascal Dusapin, Heiner Goebbels, Philippe Manoury, James Dillon, Georges Aperghis, Brian Ferneyhough, Steve Reich, Tristan Murail, Luca Francesconi, Georg Friedrich Haas, Francesco Filidei, Wolfgang Mitterer, Jörg Widmann, Enno Poppe, Michael Jarrell, Hans Abrahamsen, Hèctor Parra, Mauricio Sotelo, Rolf Wallin and… excuse me, I didn’t want to turn this conversation into an endless inventory. But it was with the active presence, more or less frequent or intense, of these and many other composers that Casa da Música was built, stood out, and will undoubtedly continue to stand out in the musical world. For us, the composer plays a central role in the activity of a great musical center, which has a mission of public service. The best way to serve music is to serve composers in the best possible way. However, to say something obvious, this task is of the utmost demand; it requires criteria in the selection of performers according to the repertoire, an excellent organization to support them, and an institutional setup aligned with the same values. Because, in the end, what we are talking about here is the greatest and most meaningful return we can offer to society. The role of an artistic director is, therefore, among many other responsibilities, such as managing teams and resources, to mediate between the canon and the public—undoubtedly; but, above all, between the less popular repertoire and the new works that the international musical scene continuously produces. All this for an audience that, fortunately, is growing in both size and sophistication, who cannot yet know whether they like or dislike what has not yet been revealed to them or even what does not yet exist, in the case of commissioned works.

Yáñez: The Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música arrives at musica viva alongside the Arditti Quartet, which in 2024 celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Arditti Quartet is one of its many long-term collaborations in contemporary repertoire, but to what extent does the excellence of these soloists influence or leave a mark on the Orchestra after so many years of working together?

Pacheco: I believe what you are saying is that great projects can only be realised with medium- to long-term plans. I couldn’t agree more, and here I think there is, without false modesty, some merit in our consistency or, at least, persistence. Our choice of a continued collaborative effort between the Orchestra Sinfónica Casa da Música and the legendary Arditti Quartet is an excellent example of a particular way of doing things, especially in prioritising strategic artistic partnerships. The first time they shared the stage with the members of Arditti was an unprecedented, contagious, and inspiring experience for the orchestra musicians —a true artistic advancement; just as it is for all Casa da Música’s in-house ensembles when they work with great conductors and soloists. Good examples of this are the beautiful collaboration between the Remix Ensemble Casa da Música and Matthias Goerne, under the direction of Peter Rundel; the collaboration between our Baroque Orchestra Casa da Música and Andreas Staier; the recent concert by the Casa da Música Choir with Paul Hillier; or the Orchestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música with the extraordinary cast of Elektra (1906-08) under the direction of Stefan Blunier.

However, the case of the Arditti Quartet does indeed have very particular contours. After that first collaboration in 2012, with the Iberian premiere of Hinterland (2009), a work for string quartet and orchestra by Pascal Dusapin, conducted by Emilio Pomàrico, the quartet returned for other premieres of works for the same format: pieces by Wolfgang Rihm, Toshio Hosokawa, and, of course, Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied by Helmut Lachenmann. The discreet charm of the city did the rest, and so Ashot Sarkissjan eventually settled in Porto, joining the Remix Ensemble shortly afterwards.

Yáñez: Your presence at musica viva is part of an entire network of co-productions and joint commissions that makes Casa da Música one of the best-connected auditoriums in Europe when it comes to promoting new repertoire and premieres. What lines of collaboration and work have you established in this regard?

Pacheco: A network of contacts as extensive as the one Casa da Música has today can only be built on the foundation of hard work —good work— done at home. I mean that only by being locally relevant can one eventually be well-received internationally. I have always said that being »international« is not, nor should it be, an objective. Being »international« can only be a possible outcome of observing best practices in artistic management (with all that this implies) in service of a clear, coherent, and consistent vision over time. And the clearer the artistic vision, the more vocal the dissenting voices may be, the more scathing the criticism, and, most importantly, the easier the public scrutiny. That is good.

To answer your question more specifically, I have to return to the subject of the relationship that Casa da Música has pursued and maintained with composers and their most qualified interpreters. Being the being the most interested party, composers, recognising the competence, passion, and integrity with which their works are treated and performed, can become the most credible ambassadors of the institution that hosts them. And one shouldn’t think that the opposite cannot happen, because it does.

From the moment Casa da Música began to be recognised as a credible partner in the field of creation, but also in the performance of contemporary music, it was possible to develop an action plan combining two dimensions: commissioning original works from both young and distinguished composers, and the international circulation of the in-house ensembles —most notably in the case of the creation group par excellence, the Remix Ensemble Casa da Música. These two dimensions, often complementary, involve the normal and frequent integration of Casa da Música into the most prestigious commissioning consortia, as well as the ability to launch challenges from Porto that attract the greatest composers, drawing interest from other institutions based on an idea. Challenges that, in the best cases, materialise in joint commissions and world premieres by one of Casa da Música’s in-house ensembles, with subsequent performances on the stages of the co-producing institutions.

In this occasion I can only express my gratitude to musiva viva and Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation for this great opportunity.