Janáček: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
New Zealand String Quartet (Naxos)
(scroll down for English review)
楊納傑克兩首弦樂四重奏的新錄音，我覺得長處是錄音及演奏都力求清晰，最快的段落中，個別樂器的短促音符及不同聲部的內容都聽得很清楚，但我覺得他們最力求避免的，是失控及暴戾。例如在速度上，並不是說太快或太慢，而是在一個速度裏面（這套作品的速度轉得很快）我聽不出有種想衝前的感覺。往往楊納傑克作品的不安或激情感覺，是由這些細微的衝刺所帶動。
兩首楊納傑克弦樂四重奏是現代經典，比起蕭斯塔高維契的還甚，但一般樂迷較少會被動地遇上。如果你是第一次聽這套曲目，我覺得這個錄音倒也是不錯的入門版本，正正是因為感情及稜角稍為收斂，所以不用你一下子吃到最重口味，但這個演奏所表達到的，已經比你聽慣的古典派及浪漫派音樂已是不同的情感世界了。
Clarity is the key to this new recording of the Janacek quartets, both in terms of the playing and the engineering. Details and voices were clean and clear, even in the very quick passages. Yet I think what was avoided at all costs were abandon and violence. I’m not saying the New Zealand String Quartet was playing it too fast or too slow, but that there wasn’t much sense of rushing in a given tempo. The passion and anxiety of Janacek are partially supported by minute bursts.
I place the Janacek quartets on the pedestal of classic modernism above the Shostakovich quartets. But the average listener wouldn’t likely be casually running into them. If you’re new to this repertoire this recording is a nice introduction, precisely because the emotions and edges weren’t delivered in full and you wouldn’t be knocked out. Nevertheless, it is on an emotional plane away from classical and romantic repertoire that you’re used to.