David Greilsammer – Labyrinth (Naïve)
Janáček, Lully, Beethoven, Crumb, Ligeti, JS Bach, Grandos, Satie, CPE Bach, Pelz, Marais, Scriabin, Rebel
(scroll down to English review)
David Greilsammer以彈奏冷門鋼琴作品著稱，他往往將不同時期的作品配搭，在香港都彈過這種獨奏會。新碟名為「迷宮」，作品從巴洛克（法國及德國），稍停貝多芬後便跳到早期二十世紀音樂、後期二十世紀音樂，還有Ofer Pelz為他寫的新作。
不過排序卻不是順作品時序，全碟十九軌，三首一組，先彈三組，中間有最長的葛納多斯《愛與死》，然後再彈三組。我會比喻每組為「三文治」，因為第一及三首都是同一作曲家，夾住另一作曲家的作品。
評論者去到這個地步，很難忍住不去分析佈局，亦即是為編排尋找或賦與意義，但聽過全碟兩次後，我覺得這樣分析實是多餘。在我而言，Greilsammer刻意將每軌之間的空白剪到最少，下一首樂曲要不轉變得全無預兆，就是轉了半分鐘你都未必發覺。我欣賞這種做法，因為Greilsammer表面上彈這些「冷門曲目」、「特殊曲目」，他怎樣排或許有他的邏輯，但我感覺到這些作品即使「陌生」、「不順耳」，不等於它們被我們聽慣的「特殊」，反而把「特殊」的標籤拿掉，更能欣賞作品本身。
當然我並不保證首首作品都合你口味，但較為不順耳的作品，不會超過四分鐘，要聽下去其實不難，甚至可以用這麼風格殊異的作品，發掘一下自己的喜好，包括自己不知到的喜好。
我個人覺得每件三文治的「肉」，比外面的麵包更有趣。而全碟最令我刮目相看，卻是獨立的《愛與死》。Greilsammer已經超出了這曲慣常的「西班牙風」及「蕭邦敘事曲」的典型觀感，增添了李斯特的史詩氣魄。
Pianist-conductor David Greilsammer is famed for his eclectic repertoire, his programme typically features pieces from various eras. The works on this Labyrinth album ranges from French and German Baroque, a brief halt at Beethoven, then onto early 20th century, then late 20th century. Two tracks by Ofer Pelz were written for Greilsammer.
But the pieces don’t follow a chronological order. The 19 tracks are grouped in triptychs, with one big piece (Granados’ El Amor y la Muerte) between the third and fourth groups. If I have my way I’ll liken such triptych as “sandwiches”, because the first and third pieces are by the same composers.
Critics are tempted to make sense of Greilsammer’s arrangement: What’s the logic within a group and between the groups? Is there a meaning to this recital programme? After two sittings I pronounce any search for meaning or message to be superfluous. Greilsammer deliberately trimmed the silences between pieces to a minimum. The listener is either caught off-guard or oblivious to the approach of the next piece. I applaud such transitions (or non-transitions) because although Greilsammer is playing these “little known” pieces but they aren’t “special” or “strange” pieces per se. I feel that listeners may appreciate each piece on its own terms, free from simple labels.
I won’t vouch for every piece, though. You may like this one and loath that one. Still, not one of the “awkward” pieces last more than four minutes. Take this chance to explore different tastes and who knows, you might be surprised.
Personally I’m more attracted by the “meat” of each of the sandwiches. And also the one big chunk in the centre, the Granados. Greilsammer transcends the usual Spanish and Chopinesque tags, and raises it to the scale of a Lisztian epic.