Bruckner: String Quintet, String Quartet
Altomonte Ensemble (Gramola)
(scroll down for English review)
布魯克納除了交響曲及合唱曲，也有寫過室樂，這碟少有地同時收錄《弦樂五重奏》（軌一至四）及《弦樂四重奏》（軌五至八），令我下決心好好聽前者，以及第一次聽後者。
演奏者雖然不是知名的四重奏或五重奏，其實第一小提琴由Rémy Ballot擔任，此君近年在布魯克納的發跡地及埋葬地，奧地利林茲市附近的St. Florian修道院的大教堂，帶領青年樂團演奏了一系列的布魯克納交響曲（在此碟同一品牌推出了七張，目前只剩第一及四），因為以晚年的柴利比達克作模倣對象，所以速度極慢，亦因此獲得一些柴利狂迷或布魯克納狂迷吹捧。
《弦樂五重奏》是在第五及六交響曲之間所作，四樂章但也有布魯克納式的長度，超過50分鐘。這次果然是逼自己聽，只有慢板（軌三）值得聽，其餘雖然有布氏交響曲的影子，但確實是平庸、甚至是沉悶之作。這間唱片公司現在不推供新碟在YouTube免費試聽，以下的是Apple的連結，但聽不到也不算損失，而我會在回覆欄貼一個以弦樂團演奏慢板的錄音。
《弦樂四重奏》則是他正式跟老師學習作曲時的作品，但他是高齡學生，那時37歲，樂曲沒有發表，要在二戰後才被人首演。和《弦樂五重奏》相比，此曲基本上未見布魯克納的個人特色，而以貝多芬（尤其是中期）及舒伯特為範本，不過正因如此，卻比《弦樂五重奏》易聽得多。總結來說，這碟只適合狂迷。
A rare coupling of the Bruckner string quintet and quartet gave me the excuse to give these neglected works a dedicated listen. On first violin was Rémy Ballot, who as conductor has been recording a series of super-slow Bruckner symphonies in the manner of the old-age Celibidache. That series was also recorded at the St Florian monastery.
The String Quintet was written between the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies. This four-movement work also had the Brucknerian length of more than 50 minutes. I definitely was forcing myself to listen to this. Apart from the sublime Adagio, the three other movements were uninspired, despite having many Brucknerian traits. It really wasn’t a pity if you can’t access the Apple Music streaming above, below you’ll find a YouTube link to a string orchestra version of the Adagio.
The String Quartet was written as an exercise when Bruckner, previously self-taught, was taking lessons to become a composer. The work was shelved and didn’t get to be heard publicly until after WWII. I really couldn’t spot anything remotely Brucknerian, he took Beethoven (especially the middle quartets) and Schubert as his models. Strangely, and probably because of that, I found this quartet to be more easy-listening than the quintet. Strictly for Bruckner buffs only.