Chopin: 4 Scherzos, Piano Concerto No.2
Seong-Jin Cho (piano)
Gianandrea Noseda / London Symphony (DG)
(scroll down for English review)
趙成珍的新碟又是全蕭邦，再度和諾斯達及倫敦交響樂團合作，錄了《第二鋼琴協奏曲》，終於把兩首都錄完。上次錄《第一鋼琴協奏曲》時配了四首敘事曲，今次則配四首諧謔曲。
我猜趙成珍處理四首諧謔曲（軌一至四）的基本，是把每首的急板部分，都盡量彈到最快，以能夠保持最短的音符（八分音符）都乾淨俐落為標準，再於這個基礎下決定彈幾大聲，聲音有多厚等。我這樣猜測，因為趙成珍的速度算是頗快（相比起絕大多數鋼琴家而言），我希望解釋到他為何這樣彈。或者他正是想要最輕盈的效果，但我就覺得太過淺薄，頗欠氣勢。緩慢的部分，我又覺得他太慢，應該就是急板太快，令我覺得之後太慢，太機械，然後愈彈愈慢，直到回到急板。
我認為他在這套作品，不應只是追求最絲滑的發音，而且和弦彈得太隨便，只求彈到，不求做出和弦的色彩。我相信彈琴的人會很欣賞趙成珍，會從技術層面覺得他「好勁」，因為他們不能像他彈得快、彈得滑，但我聽蕭邦，不是為了這些。
倫敦交響樂團在拉圖指揮下，給齊默曼伴奏貝多芬協奏曲，我覺得比鋼琴更精彩。但這次在諾斯達指揮下伴奏蕭邦，就變回普通的伴奏樂隊。雖然樂團能在蕭邦發揮的空間較貝多芬低，但和格羅夫納及陳以琳那張蕭邦協奏曲專輯相比，樂隊部分就相形見絀。其實趙成珍在《第二鋼琴協奏曲》（軌五至七）的表現，我也覺得遠遜格羅夫納，同樣是太執着於滑溜琴音，純熟而無感覺，慢板就只求準確、準時地彈完短音，而彈不出蕭邦想模倣美聲歌劇的神髓。
Seong-Jin Cho returns to Chopin, completing his recording of the Chopin concertos. Gianandrea Noseda and London Symphony, who did Cho’s recording of the First Concerto, were also his partners in this recording of the Second. Last time Cho coupled the First Concerto with the Ballades, now the Scherzos preceded the Second Concerto.
In my estimation, Cho built his interpretation of the Scherzos on the quickest possible Presto, the limit being determined by the 8th notes, the shortest of the one-in-a-bar rhythm. His tempi were quicker than most so I found it necessary to explain it. With his “right” tempo then Cho decided on the volume and texture accordingly. Perhaps he’s after lightness but to me the Presto sections lacked gravity. And then the middle sections sounded too dragging; perhaps Cho wanted a significant change of mood. But then it got slower and duller until Presto returned.
I don’t think the performer should ever pursue the silkiest sound possible in the Chopin scherzos. What’s more, Cho was quite cavalier in the chords, barely hitting them without bringing out their colours. I believe Cho’s performance will be very well received by piano players who would admire Cho’s technique that they don’t and won’t have. But this isn’t what I’m after in listening to Chopin.
In the recording of Zimerman’s Beethoven concerto cycle, the LSO under Rattle outshone the pianist, in my opinion. But now the LSO regressed into a backing orchestra. True, the orchestra plays a smaller role in Chopin than in Beethoven, but the Grosvenor recording conducted by Elim Chan demonstrated an orchestra could always do more in Chopin. And not just the orchestra, I think Cho turned in a mediocre performance of the Second Concerto (tracks 5-7). Cho is technically adept but lacks affection, in the slow movement he simply played the notes in time but lost the feeling for bel canto of this movement.