Rachmaninov: Symphony No.1, Symphonic Dances
Yannick Nézet-Séguin / Philadelphia Orchestra (DG)
(scroll down for English review)
預計在兩年後的拉赫曼尼諾夫150冥壽完成的交響曲全集，第一張是《第一》搭《交響舞曲》。用盡CD長度，這種配搭很少見，反而把相隔四十年的兩首作品，變得頗為相近。
有關《第一》首演的故事，毋須在這裏覆述，即使此曲確實不如大家深愛的《第二》，但也非庸作，只是每個樂章都總是長了一點點，不過《第二》也可以這麼形容。尼澤塞甘在快慢的反差頗大，快時頗有活力，慢板或柔和樂段都很夠膽做搶板。第三樂章小廣板（軌三），值得留意弦樂及管樂都有滿瀉的揉音，頗有風味。但煞風景是錄音，角別的樂器或群組錄得清晣，但一將全個樂隊併在一起，就聽來很空洞。
如果單聽《交響舞曲》，我會覺得尼澤塞甘太着重官能刺激，而奏不出拉赫曼尼諾夫離開祖國後的鄉愁。不過聽完《第一》，就覺得一脈相承，或者可以說至少在音樂上，拉赫曼尼諾夫沒有真的離開過？第二樂章奏得最為出色，圓舞曲先是媚艷，高潮頗為火熱。此曲的音質我覺得比《第一》正常多了。
The first release of a cycle to be completed in 2023, the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninov’s birth. Coupling the First Symphony with Symphonic Dances on one CD is rare indeed. Taken together, one can hardly notice there are four decades in between them but such juxtaposition is beneficial to me.
I don’t think it’s necessary to repeat the story of that fiasco story. True, the First Symphony pales in front of the beloved Second Symphony but it is a very solid and enjoyable work. The movements are just a bit too long, yet the same can be said of the Second Symphony. Nézet-Séguin’s approach was a polarized one, the fast movements or passages are boisterous, while the slow movements are full of rubatos. Notice the outrageous vibratos in both the strings and woodwinds in the third movement. I enjoy such flavour very much. But the engineering left much to be desired. Individual instruments or groups were clear and nuanced but the full orchestra sounded rather hollow.
I’d consider Nézet-Séguin’s Symphony Dances to be overhyped without listening to the First Symphony. But combining the two Nézet-Séguin’s handling would sound more consistent, without imposing an additional interpretation on Rachmaninov’s exile from Russia. Or one might say, musically, Rachmaninov hadn’t really left Russia? I enjoyed the second movement most, the waltz was played with lots of sensuality and proceeded to a fiery climax. And the engineering was more acceptable than the First Symphony.