Il Cannone: Francesca Dego Plays Paganini’s Violin
Works by Paganini, Kreisler, Corigliano, Boccadoro, Rossini, Schnittke, Szymanowski
Francesca Dego (violin), Francesca Leonardi (piano) (Chandos)
(scroll down for English review)
用帕格里尼生前擁有的「大炮」小提琴演奏，選曲亦以帕格里尼為主題，可以分成兩類：一是被他啟發、在20世紀寫成的無伴奏作品。另一類是他的作品，但以別人的編曲形式演奏。單是曲目編排，我覺得頗有意義，但演奏對我來說未如理想。
炫技的樂曲，例如克萊斯勒《宣敘調及諧謔隨想曲》（軌二至三）、柯尼吉亞諾《紅提琴隨想曲》（軌四），以及舒尼卡《帕格里尼風》（軌八），Dego只是拉得到、未到拉得好、拉得盡的層次，其實這些樂曲雖說是難曲，但遠遠不是最難的那些。
帕格里尼自己的作品中，這碟有兩首是易聽之類，開碟有《鐘》（克萊斯勒改編版），以及《如歌》（軌六）是由當代作曲家Boccadoro把鋼琴伴奏重新改編，在伴奏加入一些蕭邦元素。我覺得Dego拉這些容易一些的東西，會有不俗的味道，例如《鐘》的滑音編排得不錯，好過勉強去拉王者級的難曲。
結尾由施曼諾夫斯基改編給《三首帕格里尼隨想曲》（軌九至11）不只加了鋼琴伴奏，施曼諾夫斯基也把小提琴一些複音拿走去分給鋼琴，變相解放了小提琴，讓它可以更專注拉旋律，但也有較合理的難度。我未聽過Dego的全套帕格里尼隨想曲錄音，但憑她這碟的表現，可能較適合拉改編版多過原版。
With Paganini’s “Cannon” Guarneri Francesca Dego gave us this Paganini-themed album. The works generally fall into two categories, the first is Paganini-inspired 20-th century unaccompanied solos. The other pieces are arrangements of Paganini originals. I like the programme but not the playing.
The virtuosic pieces such as Kreisler’s Recitative and Scherzo Caprice (tracks 2-3), Corigliano’s Red Violin Caprices (track 4) and Schnittke’s A Paganini (tracks 8), Dego couldn’t show that she had technique to spare. But these pieces are hardly in the hardest calibre.
As for Paganini arrangements, Kreisler’s arrangement of La Campanella (track 1), and contemporary composer Boccadoro’s take on Cantabile (track 6) were more suited to Dego, in my opinion. Dego was able to play these simpler melodies with style, and devoid of boredom.
Szymanowski’s Three Paganini Caprices (tracks 9-11) aren’t just adding a piano part for Paganini’s 20th, 21st and 24th Caprice. The violin is somehow relieved of polyphonic duties and has more space to play the melodies. But that’s not to say the violin part is easy. I didn’t listen to Dego’s recording of the complete Caprices but judging from this album, I’d guess say she’d be better off playing these arrangements.