Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony
André Previn / London Symphony (Warner)
(scroll down for English review)
《曼費德交響曲》是柴可夫斯基沒有加上編號的交響曲，寫在第四及五之間。不過此曲的演奏頻率遠遠不及第四、五、六，全集錄音或現場錄音也往往省略它。原因莫過於它的結構沒有「四五六」那麼緊密，旋律也不算難忘，卻長多十分鐘，往往令人覺得太長。港樂多年前奏過一次，但由於那位老牌（今已作古）指揮的速度太慢，使到長上加長，很多人都覺得悶。
聽過普烈文和倫敦交響樂團的錄音，覺得值得用它去介紹此曲。《曼費德交響曲》雖然未必是一般聽眾之心水，但在部分鑑賞家心中會有特殊地位。於我而言，此曲的悲劇情懷、破滅意境，其實比「四五六」更為濃烈。普烈文這個錄音，勝在既把悲劇意境以華麗的管弦聲響呈現，也能維持音樂不會呆滯不前。
而此曲用音樂表達悲劇英雄，也令我記起不久前介紹過的李斯特《浮士德交響曲》。此外，我聽完這個錄音忽發其想，柴可夫斯基六首交響曲，和拉赫曼尼諾夫三首交響曲之間的連結，可能就是這首《曼費德交響曲》。
Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony has always been an anomaly. Written between the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies, it wasn’t assigned a number by Tchaikovsky. Recording or performance cycles tended to give it a pass. This work suffered from a looser structure and less memorable melodies than the Fourth to Sixth Symphonies but it was over 10 minutes longer, so casual listeners usually feel bored by it.
This Previn/LSO recording is definitely a good introduction to this mesmerizing piece that has a place in the hearts of aficionados. Personally speaking, I always find it to have a deeper emotional abyss than the three beloved Tchaikovsky symphonies. Previn excelled in crafting a glorious sound for the work’s extremes, while maintaining a steady pace.
The portrayal of a tragic hero through music reminded me of Liszt’s Faust Symphony. But only after listening to this Previn interpretation did I realize the Manfred Symphony was the link of Tchaikovsky’s six symphonies to Rachmaninov’s three symphonies.