Chopin: Piano Sonatas No.2 & 3, Mazurkas op.63
Javier Perianes (piano) (Harmonia Mundi)
(scroll down for English review)
本月有兩位在十年前被飛躍演奏香港邀請過的鋼琴家，不約而同推出蕭邦鋼琴奏鳴曲大碟。Alexander Kobrin錄齊三首，即是包括平庸的《第一》。這張Javier Perianes只錄《第二》及《第三》，但穿插了作品63《三首馬祖卡》在其中。我聽完這張Perianes，Kobrin只是略略聽聽。
我覺得Kobrin是想用盡現代鋼琴的音量及力量，去擴大蕭邦的感情深度。而我之所以認為Perianes較值得聽，是因為他不求用盡，而是用得好、用得美。左手的伴奏他撫摸得很夠輕柔又自然，右手的旋律他能夠彈出高音音符的泛音，令音色加了一層光暈。
詮釋方面，《第二》的諧謔曲（軌三）他將速度及強度都克制，令它比聽慣的彈法更優美。兩個奏鳴曲的慢板（軌四及九）他都能找到適當地方減速，在最為優美或怨地方多留片刻，而連奏仍能保持得很穩妥。三首馬祖卡（軌一、六、十一）都是彈得比較淡，但正好為兩首奏鳴曲營造氣氛，或者給聽者回一回氣。
Alexander Kobrin and Javier Perianes each had a Chopin sonata CD out this month. Kobrin recorded all three, including the rather mediocre First Sonata. Perianes only recorded the Second and Third but he threw in the op.63 Mazurkas. I skimmed through the Kobrin disc but listened to Perianes in full.
Kobrin seemed to take full advantage of modern piano’s volume and timbral palette to give an expanded vision of Chopin. To me Perianes’ more moderate approach was preferable because he only took what was beautiful. He caressed the left-hand accompaniment softly and naturally but what I admired most was his right hand. The high notes carried a halo, as Perianes’ touch was able to bring out the overtones.
His interpretation of Second Sonata’s Scherzo (track 3) was exceptional in his holding back of tempo and loudness. Under his hands this movement sounded more graceful than pouncing. I took note of his tasteful rubato in the two slow movements (tracks 4 and 9) as he allowed us a longer stay in the more introspective sections. In comparison to the sonatas, the three mazurkas were played in a more intimate manner, which provided a respite from the more tempestuous sonatas.