Per Nørgård: Solo Cello Sonatas No.1-3
Poul Ruders: Bravour Studies
Wilhelmina Smith (cello) (Ondine)
(scroll down for English review)
兩位現代丹麥作曲家的無伴奏大提琴作品。Nørgård的第一首無伴奏大提琴奏鳴曲在1953年完成，第三首寫於1999年，但我覺得最值得留意是第二首。它有兩個樂章，卻是相隔廿幾年，把他自己兩種不同風格並置。第一樂章「親密獨奏」延續了Nørgård第一奏鳴曲的寫法，他較少去運用特別的大提琴技巧，甚至雙音及和弦也少用，追求綿延的獨唱，我覺得不會重覆之餘，也有一些重覆動機可以捉得住。
第二樂章「舞台上獨奏」寫於1980年，就更像現代音樂了。樂章名字可見它被第一樂章外向得多、炫耀得多，綿延旋律讓路給更直接的情感，你也會聽到更新奇、於是也更不像「大提琴」的聲音，與其說是聲音，說是效果也可以。《第三無伴奏大提琴奏鳴曲》則像早期及現代風格的混合及濃縮。
Poul Ruders寫於1976年《炫技練習曲》用一首中古歌曲《武裝的人》做主題作變奏，九個變奏後才出主題。不過相比起Nørgård，我覺得演奏者應該會更加享受此曲，用很多特殊的演奏方法，亦務求超出大提琴一般的表達力，但聽起來就變化不大。
Solo cello works of two 20th century Danish composers. Nørgård’s 1st Solo Cello Sonata was written in 1953, the 3rd in 1999 but it’s the 2nd sonata that I’d like to comment. Almost a quarter century separated the two movements (hence the title “in due tempi”) that represent two different phrases of the composer. The 1st movement “Solo intimo” is an extension of the style of the 1st sonata. Nørgård used double stops or chords sparingly, while favouring long melodic lines. To me such writing isn’t repetitive and motives could be easily grasped.
“Solo in scena”, the 2nd movement, is in another sound world, closer to what we regard as modern music. Sustained soliloquies give way to a more explicit display of fleeting emotions, and more unusual playing techniques can be heard. You might call these sounds “effects” if you like. On the other hand, the 3rd Solo Cello Sonata is like a reconciliation of the early and modern Nørgård styles.
Bravour Studies by Poul Ruders is a 1976 work, a set of 9 variations on the mediaeval song L’Homme armé. Compared to the Nørgård pieces, I suppose cellists would enjoy playing this Ruders work more. But to the listener, perhaps the pyrotechnics of the Ruders won’t mean as much as the novelty wears off after several variations.