Colin Davis – Beethoven Odyssey
Symphonies No.1-9, Piano Concerti No. 1-5 (Kovacevich), Violin Concerto (Grumiaux), Overtures, Mass in C, Missa Solemnis (Decca Eloquence)
(scroll down for English review)
專門從環球唱片的巨大錄音庫，找尋遺珠再版的澳洲Eloquence系列，今次把戴維斯早年在Philips的貝多芬錄音收集，既有他「第一套」交響曲全集，又有和Kovacevich合作的鋼琴協奏曲、兩首彌撒曲等等。
之所以要用引號說「第一套」，因為這批錄音中的第一至八交響曲，是在1970年代和BBC交響樂團及倫敦交響樂團錄製，但《第九》是1985年在慕尼黑錄，樂隊是BRSO，兩者的分別不只是「模擬錄音」及「數碼錄音」，而是BRSO的管弦聲響和兩隊倫敦團是兩回事。
我記得戴維斯在1990年代推出在德累斯頓錄製的貝多芬交響曲全集，英國樂評大讚，緊貼英國的香港樂評也有相同評價。當時原音派演奏開始抬頭，戴維斯那套錄音，採用慢速及豐厚弦樂，倣似浪漫派貝多芬詮釋的迴光返照，不過我記得我當時並不過電。
「第一套」已見到戴維斯的「巨人」取向，但我終於明白為甚麼我不那麼接受德累斯頓全集。1970年代的戴維斯用這兩隊倫敦樂團，追求的是最有力的音色，硬橋硬馬。1990年代的德國統一不久，德累斯頓的音色尚未和其他樂團同化，即使都是慢速，自然出來的是圓潤聲響，所以一定比「第一套」順耳。不過「第一套」的硬，反而令我覺得充滿活力，德累斯頓就令我覺得呆滯。（德累斯頓全集的連結，我放在回應，可作比較。）
交響曲以外，我也對《莊嚴彌撒曲》（76軌開始）有興趣，同樣在原音派成為主流下，現在已很難聽到重量級的演奏，不單止是速度、樂隊大小，就連合唱也崇尚輕巧。戴維斯這個演奏，我特別欣賞頭三個樂章（76至82軌），激動的歌唱才能帶出此曲的強烈熱情，就像美國黑人教堂的熱情但虔誠的歌唱。《歡樂頌》雖是貝多芬最著名的合唱樂曲，《莊嚴彌撒曲》其實才是頂峰。
Australian Eloquence once again tapped into the Universal Classics catalogue, this time for Sir Colin Davis’ early Beethoven recordings on Philips. This set includes his “first” Beethoven symphony cycle, the Piano Concerti with Kovacevich and the two masses.
“First” is in quotes because it wasn’t recorded as a cycle. Nos. 1-8 were done in the 1970s, with the BBC and London Symphony Orchestras, No. 9 was taped in 1985, with the BRSO of Munich. The difference wasn’t just analogue vs digital, the BRSO sound was entirely different.
I still recalled when Davis’ Dresden 1990s Beethoven cycle was out, the Brits raved about it. Those were the years when HIP of Beethoven symphonies was becoming mainstream and Davis’ slow tempi and lush sounds were a throwback to Romantic Beethoven. But I remembered I didn’t like it.
Yet Davis’ monumental approach was already there in the “first” cycle. Now I understand why I didn’t like the Dresden set. Germany was reunited then but the East German orchestras still had their unique sound. The Staatskapelle Dresden delivered a round sound to Davis’ slow tempi while the Londoners in the 1970s gave him a full-blooded, perhaps coarse sound. But to me the Londoners sounded more vivid than the Dresdeners. (The link to the Dresden set is in the reply section.)
I’m also interested in the Missa Solemnis (track 76 onwards), also recorded in the 1970s. It’s also rare to encounter a massive Missa Solemnis now, thanks to HIP. What I admired in this recording (especially the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo sections) is the ecstatic singing of the chorus, almost like the “jubilant noise” of an African-American church gathering. This piece does require high octane singing, while Ode to Joy wouldn’t benefit from that.