Janáček: Sonata 1.X.1905, In the Mists, On an Overgrown Path
Lars Vogt (piano) (Ondine)
(scroll down for English review)
我有兩個原因介紹這張碟，首先是下月的香港藝術節會有一場全楊納傑克鋼琴獨奏會的網上節目，曲目大抵和這碟一樣，另一原因是幾個月前我聽過一張由英國作曲家阿迪斯彈奏的楊納傑克專輯，也是這些曲目，只不過當時沒寫文去談。
對於楊納傑克，很多人將他歸類成現代作曲家，但對我來說他是經典的層面。至於楊納傑克的鋼琴作品，即使經常有一張碟過的楊納傑克鋼琴唱片，我還是覺得整張碟的聽有點膩。這張碟的排序減低了我這種感覺，最主要的原因是把《荒草漫佈的小徑》放在最後，我對那套作品較有保留，它一共十五首，我暫時還覺得參差不齊，先聽《奏鳴曲：1905年十月一日》及《迷霧中》較容易認識楊納傑克的鋼琴音樂世界。
《奏鳴曲：1905年十月一日》（軌一及二）的日子是一次軍隊鎮壓示威事件，兩個樂章表達的感情不用解釋。《迷霧中》（軌三至六），既可當成四首小品，也可當成一首四樂章奏鳴曲，而我則會當成一套變奏曲，因為相似而不相同。
演奏而言，那次聽阿迪斯那張，感覺還可但太平鋪直敘，Vogt的演奏雖也在節奏及造句上，都很尊重樂譜的要求，所以對我來說都是有點緊。不過Vogt之所以遠勝阿迪斯，是Vogt有豐富得多的音色轉變，給旋律賦與在速度及音量以外的不同味道，既在不同旋律有變化，就連同一旋律都可以有相當轉變。
This is actually the second all-Janáček piano album I heard these few months, the previous one is by composer Thomas Adès.
To me Janáček is not “modern” but “classic”, as for his piano music, such all-Janáček album seems to be the norm but in my taste listening to an entire album of his music is usually tiring. The ordering by Lars Vogt made me feel easier to listen in full seating, thanks to his placing On an Overgrown Path at the end. I don’t consider its 15 pieces to be of equal value, while the 1.X.1905 Sonata and In the Mists are excellent pieces to the not-yet-initiated.
As for Vogt’s playing vs Adès, to me Adès was too square. Although Vogt was also economical in applying rubato or twisting the phrases when they were not notated, Vogt had in his disposal a rich palette of colours and touch, so the phrases actually sounded quite special without much artificial intervention.