Augustin Hadelich joined French conductor Nathalie Stutzmann in her conductorial debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for his second visit in two years. The previous, with Karina Canellakis – another female conductor also making her RCO debut. Who, I wonder, will he return with next?
The programme
The concerto
Hadelich is a mesmerising presence on stage. A mix of compelling intensity coupled with fragile vulnerability. His focus and concentration, so complete, and his playing at times so quiet that time itself seemed suspended in space.
Technically, he is inspirational: the way he uses the natural weight of his bow arm to conjure a depth of sound completely devoid of tension; his cadenza’s understated virtuosity complete with astonishing descending sixths delivered with the greatest of ease; and his magical segue into the ensuing orchestral tutti. But most of all, his ability to make a work he has played for many years sound so completely new. Full of natural curiosity and soaring melodies, and a coda so crisp and clean, it is no wonder that Heifetz’s teacher Leopold Auer for whom the work was intended, refused to give the premiere in 1881. Hadelich is quite simply in a class of his own.
As expected, his Canzonetta upped the emotion as each iteration of the opening theme compounded Tchaikovsky’s pain and longing. All matched seamlessly by Kersten McCall’s plaintive flute and Oliver Patey’s feather-like clarinet cushion on which Hadelich’s very special 1744 Guarneri del Gesù rested.
A sprightly Finale, brimming with light and shade, pitted charm against rustic bravura. Delicate woodwind solos allowed a well-deserved moment of respite before the violin hurtled towards a thrilling conclusion. Hadelich makes it all look so easy. How heartening to see so many young people in the audience to witness an artist at the height of his career.
The encore
Following rapturous applause, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s Louisiana Blues Strut: A Cakewalk for Violin, a concert favourite, filled the Concertgebouw stage.
The symphony
Nathalie Stutzmann’s impassioned reading of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony went some way to explain why she is a revered presence on both sides of the Atlantic. Standing today in front of the Concertgebouw Orchestra for her long-awaited debut, her close affinity with Brahms’ complex emotional language came to the fore as she challenged the musicians to dig deep and give voice to Brahms’ long phrases, each laden with detail. Completely at ease on the podium, her interpretation mixed charm with deep, dark seduction.
Hot on the heels of a furious third movement which allowed time for deep uncertainty amidst all the bravura, the flute and horn’s duet in the Finale gave way to the trombones’ message of hope. Their chorale so perfectly together and overflowing with understated reverence that it cast away all remnants of fear. The Amsterdam musicians rewarded Stutzmann’s implicit trust with a performance to remember.
This concert was reviewed at the Concertgebouw on Sunday 10th May, 2026
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