Handel: Concerti grossi, op.3
Martin Gester / Van Dieman’s Band (BIS)
(scroll down for English review)
看了小冊子的樂曲介紹才知，這套韓德爾《六首大協奏曲》（作品三）原來只是出版商的盜版，即是出版商未經韓德爾授權，收集他的舊作結集而成。難怪有時聽來很像韓德爾歌劇中的序曲或間奏曲。
這套作品自不能和巴哈《布蘭登堡協奏曲》相比，亦不是韓德爾《水上音樂》、《皇家煙花音樂》那麼悅耳及搶耳，但有時韓德爾的閒適及優雅，可不是巴哈的精製，或韋華弟的活力可以輕易取代。
這隊古樂團來自澳洲塔斯曼尼亞，以該島舊稱Van Dieman’s Land改了一個字母命名，唱片封面右方就是塔斯曼尼亞的一張古董地圖。不過成員俱有歐洲古樂團的經驗，所以也無謂去尋找甚麼澳洲草飼味道。我有興趣聽完這碟的原因，是此團沒有今天許多古樂團太過興奮、火爆，做得出倣古演奏之餘，又不會太令人留意演奏的技法，其實也更能將韓德爾的優雅展現出來。
I didn’t know until now that Handel’s op.3 set of Concerti Grossi was simply an unauthorized collection of his various works, no wonder some of them sounded so similar to his opera or oratorio overtures. These aren’t refined works like the Brandenburg concerti, they aren’t even carry memorable tunes of Water Music or Royal Fireworks Music. But the elegance and grace of Handel is another realm that can’t be compared with Bach’s sophistication or Vivaldi’s vitality.
This is a period ensemble from Tasmania, and names itself after an archaic name of the island. The CD cover shows a map of it. But the band’s players had experience in the best HIP orchestras of Europe so don’t bother searching for anything Aussie in this recording. What I love about this CD is that the ensemble eschewed excessive fire or manic energy so common in today’s HIP bands. The so-called authentic performance was achieved without bringing too much attention to how it was done, and that’s why the Handelian grace was so effectively conveyed.