Tchaikovsky: Piano Sonatas
Vadym Kholodenko (piano) (Harmonia Mundi)
(scroll down for English review)
落齊兩首柴可夫斯基鋼琴奏鳴曲，但它們不是以第一及二識別，因為柴可夫斯基生前只出版過《G大調大奏鳴曲》，《升C小調奏鳴曲》這麼後的作品編號並不代表是較後的作品，其實是他沒有出版的學生作品，在他死後幾年才被公諸於世。
又是老問題，柴可夫斯基《第一鋼琴協奏曲》幾乎是我們每天的麵包，為何《大奏鳴曲》又這麼少聽到的？又是老答案，因為不是那麼精彩。而這個演奏又進一步把這作品打折，我覺得主要原因是這位鋼琴家用了Fazioli琴。
我間中都會挑一些不用史坦威的鋼琴錄音來聽，通常我都持正面態度，今次就要狠狠批評Fazioli。現場當然聽過休依特用它彈巴哈及莫扎特，但這次又想，為甚麼很少會在協奏曲聽到Fazioli？因為根本不適合浪漫派協奏曲，而這兩首柴可夫斯基奏鳴曲，就是很需要一部聲音有相當噸位的鋼琴。
這個錄音令我覺得，Fazioli雖然市場定位是史坦威以外的選擇，但它其實就是為了本身彈慣聽慣史坦威，不過對它有點微言的人而設。覺得史坦威太厚，Fazioli就削薄一點，但需要轟的時候就轟不到了。覺得史坦威不夠柔，Fazioli的聲音是軟了一點，可是連一點光采及穿透力都沒有了。這個牌子高調想打入專業市場超過20年，至今仍不夠名家為它背書，不是沒有理由的。
The two piano sonatas of Tchaikovsky were never titled Nos.1 and 2 because Tchaikovsky only published the G major Grand Sonata (tracks 1-4) in his lifetime. Despite a later opus number, the C-sharp minor Sonata (tracks 5-8) was a student work and was published posthumously.
The old question: if the First Piano Concerto is such a staple how come these sonatas (or at least the Grand Sonata) were so rarely heard? The old answer: it’s not that great. Furthermore, Kholodenko’s use of a Fazioli piano further reduced the work’s prowess.
I’ve been reviewing recordings that used non-Steinway pianos. Usually my response was positive but not this time. Surely I’ve heard Angela Hewitt playing a Fazioli in Bach and Mozart, but I’ve been wondering how come I’d never heard a Fazioli in romantic concertos? It’s not suitable, simply put. And these Tchaikovsky sonatas do require some heft in the instrument.
This recording led me to this conclusion. Despite marketing itself as an alternative to Steinway, Fazioli actually appeals mostly to pianists who only have some minor misgivings towards Steinway. “Steinway is too bright”, then make it less bright but you can’t bang when the occasion calls for it. “Steinway isn’t soft enough”, Fazioli is fluffier but even the gleam and penetrative power are gone. It’s not without reason that Fazioli failed to attract big-name virtuosos to its roster after two decades of effort.