Bach: The Art of Fugue
Les InAttendus: Vincent Lhermet (accordion), Marianne Muller (viola da gamba); Alice Pérot (violin) (Harmonia Mundi)
(scroll down for English review)
雖然我們不知道巴哈《賦格的藝術》是為哪種樂器而寫，但那是為了一部鍵琴、更精準一點，是給一名鍵琴手而寫這一點，是疑問最低的。由於此曲大多數樂章是四個聲部，由四支樂器演奏的改編大行其道。這個新錄音是用三支：小提琴、七弦低音古提琴，以及一部手風琴。
用A=415Hz調音的小提琴及低音古提琴，先令這個改編比起一般弦樂四重奏的版本，增添一分巴洛克味道，而肩負兩個聲部的手風琴，則把巴哈珍而重之的管風琴音色引入這個組合。
這錄音中，最多樂章是由小提琴拉高音部、低音古提琴拉低音部，手風琴負責中間兩個聲部（中音及次中音）。但有時是手風琴負責高音及次中音、小提琴拉中音（軌三）；又或者是手風琴彈高音及低音、小提琴拉中音、低音古提琴拉次中音（軌七）等等。四首兩聲部卡農曲（軌14至17）則由三支樂器分贜。
問題是演奏得如何？其實無論用甚麼樂器，怎樣改編，《賦格的藝術》都不會是消閒式音樂，所以對對位音樂沒有興趣的朋友，也無謂勉強自己去聽。聲響上我覺得這個樂器組合已經不算呆滯，小提琴及低音古提琴較有線條的音質，配搭較為圓的手風琴，可謂和而不同。
我想回應小冊子中的演奏者訪問中所說，雖然《賦格的藝術》是給一個人彈奏，但一個人十隻手指去彈四個聲部還是太不自由這一點。這錄音真正令我覺得自由的，由只有四首兩聲部卡農，尤其是有小提琴的兩首（軌14及17）。我相信巴哈創作這套作品的意義，在於思考出既有多個聲部、又符合所有對位規則，但又可以由一人彈奏的賦格曲，演奏者彈得出來，聆聽者又跟得到，又是兩種挑戰。用多支樂器將所有音符平平坦坦、清清楚楚的奏出來，我看就是把後兩種挑戰剝奪了不少。
This new recording of Bach’s Art of Fugue was played by three players: violin and viola da gamba tuned to A=415Hz, and an accordion playing the parts transposed one semitone lower. So it sounded like a mix of a mini organ with two baroque string instruments.
Most of the movements were spread across the players this way: violin (soprano), viola da gamba (bass) and accordion (alto and tenor). But there were variants, such as the accordion taking the soprano and tenor parts, violin taking the alto part (track 3), or the accordion playing the top and bottom (track 7). For the four two-part canons (tracks 14-17) the players took turns.
So how was the performance? First you have to accept the Art of Fugue would never be relaxing music, no matter how you arrange or play it. So if you feel uneasy towards contrapuntal music you might as well give this CD a pass. Sonically speaking, the combination of these instruments was very homogeneous without sounding dull. The bow strokes of the string instruments blended in quite well with the round tones of the accordion.
The booklet notes were basically Q&As with the performers. One of them said the work would sound too constricted under the ten fingers of one keyboard player. I’d like to say the only movements that sounded truly free on this recording are the two-part canons played with the violin (tracks 14 and 17). I believe the essence of the Art of Fugue is the conception of the most intricate, yet rule-abiding fugues that could be played by one player. Then the challenge falls on the lone performer to realize it, and then the listener is challenged to sort out this maze. This recording, or others that featured multiple players, made me feel that the challenges to the performers and the listeners were significantly diminished.