First clarinet, then drums and finally tuba - the musician and composer Carl Ludwig Hübsch is a self-taught musician. But it is not only in his choice of instrument that he seeks variety. His musical metamorphosis has taken him from rock and punk to classical, jazz and new music. As part of his residency in Montreal, the German musician is planning a collaboration with the Canadian ensemble Productions SuperMusique (ESM), from which he hopes to create a German-Canadian network for contemporary music in addition to new compositions.
By Anne-Carolin Seebeck
Born in Freiburg, he began his musical career with the clarinet before training as a composer, tuba player and percussionist, first through self-study and later at various universities. In his adopted home of Cologne, he is involved in his own projects, founded Ensemble X in 2008 and at the same time directs the Multiple Joy(ce) Orchestra for New Music. Hübsch seems to know no boundaries - neither musical nor geographical. He is active internationally in various collaborations as a musician, composer or in both functions.
The dramaturgy or structure of the music is subject to constant change, it emerges of its own accord. That's why I, above all, try not to stand in the way.
Carl Ludwig Hübsch
Between structure and spontaneity
In the field of tension between structure and spontaneity, Hübsch sees compositions as the realization of musical events. In the improvisational process, however, it becomes experimental. He is fascinated by the spontaneity that makes it possible to create musical moments that cannot arise within a given composition. He undoubtedly has expertise in both areas, which he intends to demonstrate in the project he has planned as part of the residency. The focus of this research trip is the realization of a composition that unites the different musical and geographical origins of the participants in one large work. The transition between composition and improvisation is fluid.
Networking
The foundation stone for a German-Canadian network for contemporary music has already been laid. He has been firmly rooted in the Canadian music scene for almost 10 years. In addition to numerous concert tours through North America, Hübsch has worked with musicians such as Éric Normand, Joane Hétu, Émily Mouchous, Philippe Lauzier, Scott Thomson and Karen Ng. Most important for his musical development, however, is his ongoing collaboration with the Montreal musician and composer Pierre-Yves Martel. Hübsch is therefore particularly interested in the Quebec music scene, to which he feels a special connection. This connection is to be deepened by the Goethe-Institut Montreal's residency for new music, which has been promoting exchange between the two countries since 2015. Networking is of existential importance for Hübsch and his work. His music, his compositions, but also his improvisations thrive on it. True to the motto: “Many roots make a lot of musical growth possible!”
Encounters beyond the music
Composers, including Hübsch, benefit not only from making music together, but above all from personal encounters, through which, according to Hübsch, “the deeper reason for composing becomes directly tangible for both sides.” During the residency, a musical map will be created that presents the musicians and the scene for new music and improvisation in Québec. In this context, Hübsch plans to conduct interviews with the participating musicians in order to better understand them and their individual playing styles. New musical elements will then be developed through collaborative music-making and performed at the end of the residency. In this way, the map offers not only geographical data and artistic potential, but also valuable contacts and enables encounters beyond music.
