Toshio Hosokawa: Lotus under the Moonlight
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.23
Momo Kodama (piano)
Seiji Ozawa / Mito Chamber Orchestra (ECM)
(scroll down for English review)
ECM新推出的兒玉桃專輯，指揮更有小澤征爾，但錄音是15年前的。2006年是莫扎特周年，細川俊夫這首鋼琴協奏曲《月夜之蓮》是為了慶祝莫扎特周年而寫。配上莫扎特《第23鋼琴協奏曲》，是因為細川寫《月夜之蓮》時，應委約者要求參考一首莫扎特鋼琴協奏曲，而他選了這首協奏曲的第二樂章。
這個錄音沒有免費的YouTube試聽，連結是Spotify串流，但我在回應附上《月夜之蓮》另一個錄音，幾年前在Naxos推出的，都是兒玉桃擔任獨奏，指揮是此曲的首演指揮準馬卻。雖然我覺得ECM這個錄音較佳，但Naxos都聽到需要聽的東西。
《月夜之蓮》中，鋼琴是蓮花，樂隊是海，蓮在月下於海上飄。雖然我每每覺得細川的作品太過相似，就如武滿徹最後15年的作品都是相差不大、只是樂器組合不同，但喜歡聽又真的不會介意。對我來說，這首20分鐘的作品實在太短了，我特別喜歡這種蓮花（鋼琴）在洶湧大海浮沉的意境，也真的能以音樂／聲音表現出來。
剩下的莫扎特，我覺得就可聽可不聽，而且樂隊比鋼琴有趣多了，《月夜之蓮》始終是我聽這碟的原因。
Momo Kodama’s latest album on ECM, with an unexpected guest Seiji Ozawa. These are 2006 recordings but are making their first release on disc. The unusual coupling can be explained by the fact that the Hosokawa concerto was commissioned for the Mozart year. A condition for the commission was that a Mozart piano concerto be referenced. Hosokawa chose the second movement of the 23rd Piano Concerto, so this work followed the Hosokawa concerto.
This link is a Spotify link as ECM provides no free streaming on YouTube. But on the comment section you’ll find a YouTube link to another recording of Lotus under the Moonlight. It was a Naxos recording also played by Momo Kodama and conducted by Jun Märkl, who conducted Kodama in the premiere performance. I prefer the ECM recording but the Naxos also had the essentials.
Hosokawa set up the piano as the lotus flower with the orchestra as the sea. To me Hosokawa does have the tendency to rewrite the same work over and over, just as the also internationally renowned Takemitsu. But if you like it then why not. I do like this work with the imagery of the lone flower drifting on the roaring sea. I can’t get enough of these 20 minutes of music.
The Mozart would appeal more to Ozawa fans. If you have time then take a dip in it.