Vivaldi, Verdi: Four Seasons
Riccardo Minasi (violin, conductor) / Orchestra La Scintilla (Accentus)
(scroll down for English review)
終於有一張不是用皮亞梭拉《布宜諾斯四季》配搭韋華第《四季》的唱片，我們不用離開意大利，但要過去西西里。威爾第《四季》是他《西西里晚禱》第三幕的芭蕾舞，長半小時，但從冬天開始、再到春夏秋。有些指揮會在音樂會奏這套威爾第《四季》，但樂迷多不熟悉此曲。
這套作品除了有舞曲的性質，其實也很接近不少威爾第序曲，不過更為難得是有歌唱元素，聽《春》（軌13）的單簧管獨奏、《夏》的雙簧管獨奏，以及《秋》的大提琴齊奏，就如詠嘆調一樣。威爾第巧妙混合管弦樂、舞曲及詠嘆調元素，假如你喜歡聽約翰史特勞斯的圓舞曲，威爾第《四季》悅耳之餘，更多一分精緻。
這隊「火花樂團」其實就是蘇黎世歌劇院樂團的古樂分支，而Minasi本身就是原音派小提琴家。值得留意《春》及《冬》的慢板（軌二及11），Minasi在重覆旋律時不只加了頗多花音，也把旋律搓圓按扁，會和你聽慣的不一樣，尤其是《冬》的慢板我覺得很自由，但又不會過火。這也是認識巴洛克時代一些演奏習慣，打破「巴洛克音樂很刻板」想法的好機會。
（沒有YouTube連結，想聽威爾第的，在回應有另一指揮的錄音，在頭四軌。）
Finally not the Piazzolla Four Seasons coupling the Vivaldi set. Baroque violinist-conductor Minasi played the Vivaldi, then conducted Verdi’s Four Seasons which is the ballet to the opera The Sicilian Vespers. The Verdi set takes 30 minutes to play but starts at Winter, then Spring, Summer and Autumn. Some conductors champion this work but it is still underappreciated.
This isn’t just a set of dances, you might also enjoy it like a Verdi overture. Being wordless doesn’t mean there is no “singing”. Check out the clarinet solo in Spring, the oboe solo in Summer, and the cello tutti in Autumn. These are all arias in disguise. If you are a fan of Strauss waltzes, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Verdi Four Seasons as well.
This orchestra is actually Zurich Opera’s baroque ensemble. Minasi being a famed baroque violinist, in the slow movements of Vivaldi’s Spring and Winter he embellished and stretched his solo lines so much that you might have doubted your memory. I especially enjoy the Winter Largo, it feels so uninhibited. Take this chance to know that period performance practice can also be liberating.