Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Liadov, Glinka
Igor Markevitch / Orchestre Lamoureux (DG Eloquence)
(scroll down for English review)
馬克維奇兩套Eloquence套裝，我不斷談他的德奧曲目，其實他最有名的是俄羅斯曲目，DG及Philips套裝各有一張林姆斯基高沙可夫，最令我感興趣是馬克維奇不只錄了「林姆斯基三寶」，DG的這張還有《五月夜》序曲及《金雞組曲》。
開碟的《俄羅斯復活節序曲》（軌一）其實不是出自這張立體聲LP，也有點可惜是單聲道。然而它是一個無比震撼的演奏，有如山洪暴發，卻有準繩的控制，實是馬克維奇的特色。他在此曲的演奏，與其說是描繪俄羅斯傳統節日，不如說是將俄國魂最熱血的呈現。
以作品來說，《五月夜》序曲（軌二）不算標青，但有浪漫情懷。不過《金雞組曲》（軌三至六）的四個樂章，有三個實在太着重繪形繪聲，而沒幾多音樂內涵，但既然有馬克維奇精心打理，也值得認識一下。
剩餘的三首是其他作曲家，葛林卡《路斯蘭與露蜜拉》序曲（軌九）及鮑羅丁《中亞草原》（軌七）應該不用介紹，但聽後者要注意音量！軌八的利亞多夫《啟示錄斷章》甚為奇特，如曲題所言，描寫的是末世景象，但在不安、暴烈、安祥之間轉來轉去，就是有馬克維奇的控制力才不至於荒腔走板。
在Philips錄的《天方夜譚》及《西班牙隨想曲》，集齊三寶，倫敦交響樂團的立體聲錄音，當然也是馬克維奇拿手好戲，錄音較DG那些傳真，但就沒那麼火爆了。
It really isn’t right to talk about Igor Markevitch without mentioning his Russian repertoire. There is one Rimsky-Korsakov album in each of the Eloquence boxsets, now this DG album featured The Golden Cockerel Suite and May Night Overture which don’t get played these days.
But first, the mono recording of Russian Easter Overture (track 1) was tagged on this stereo LP. However I’m delighted to report that this performance more than compensated for the aural qualities. None other than Markevitch can pull off such fiery yet precise performance. It wasn’t just a traditional festival that was showcased but the bare Russian soul of the bygone era.
The May Night Overture (track 2) isn’t much of a work to boast but romantic nevertheless. Out of the four movements of the Golden Cockerel Suite (tracks 3-6) three rely too much on tonal painting but Markevitch’s exquisite handling made this a worthy listen.
The remainder is by three other composers. The Glinka Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture (track 9) and Borodin’s In the Steppes of Central Asia (track 7) require no introduction but watch out for the sudden volume change in the Borodin. Liadov’s Fragment of the Apocalypse (track 8) is truly an anomaly in which the doom, destruction and peace of the Final Judgment are brought into a haphazard interplay.
I attach here the Rimsky-Korsakov album from the Philips box set, of the Capriccio Espagnol and Scheherazade. Pure Markevitch of ecstasy and precision, and Philip’s engineering was crystal clear. A delight to listen but it somehow lacked the unbridled power of the DG recordings.