Liszt: Lieder
Jonas Kaufmann (tenor), Helmut Deutsch (piano) (Sony)
(scroll down for English review)
考夫曼的藝術歌曲節目，不時出現李斯特的作品，尤其是《彼特拉克的十四行詩》，不過一場當中還會有其他作曲家。他這張新碟就索性全張李斯特，當然也有全套三首《彼特拉克的十四行詩》（軌九至11），它們也是我對李斯特藝術歌曲的入門門檻。
我們一般只會聽到它們的鋼琴獨奏版本，尤其是第二首《我找不到安寧》（軌十），都算是李斯特鋼琴作品中的一首名作。有趣的是，既然作品題名是十四行詩，聽慣鋼琴版的我們，為甚麼不會問詩詞去了哪兒，還是以為李斯特單純是從詩詞得到靈感？鋼琴在鋼琴獨奏版是有更多事做，但是《我找不到安寧》的凄怨旋律，還是要用人聲才能完全表達，而不是鋼琴版較易予人的浪漫印象。
又是填滿一張CD的選曲，就注定選得不精，但又未至於選上劣作。頭幾軌旨在先聲奪人，然後也值得留意軌五的《在漂亮的萊茵河》的詩詞，舒曼在《詩人之戀》用過，軌六《羅蕾萊》以音樂敘事，寫女妖以歌聲令人沉船（是真的在河道中沉船，並非不能自拔那種象徵式沉船），然後聽着聽着便去到中心點《彼特拉克的十四行詩》。
有時鋼琴的仔細程度，令人覺得它好像要搶了歌者的咪高峰那樣，又或者這樣說，李斯特克制着自己想用鋼琴把歌唱出來的衝動。考夫曼的選曲，我看似是想強調李斯特為人聲寫的安詳旋律，軌13《愛人，趁你還能戀愛》也就是最出名的那首《愛之夢》（第三首）的人聲版。
Jonas Kaufmann often programmed Liszt in his lieder recitals, so it came as no surprise that he released this all-Liszt lieder album. The best known of them all are of course the three Petrarch sonnets (tracks 9-11) that take the middle point of this recital.
But the most famous one, Pace non trovo (track 10) is best known by its solo piano version. Has it occurred to us that since it’s a sonnet, where are the lyrics; or do we suppose Liszt simply took his inspiration from Petrarch? Despite being more virtuosic, the solo piano version fails to convey the despair of the vocal version. If you’ve never heard it sung then now’s the best time to do so.
This is yet again a full 80-minute CD so don’t expect gems throughout. Kaufmann sought to draw our attention as soon as possible, with a highly declamatory opening offset by some very reposeful songs. Note that the text of Im Rhein, im schönen Strome (track 5) was also used by Schumann in one of the Dichterliebe songs. Die Loreley (track 6) is a multi-section rendering of the luring of Lorelei. Not long after that we’re brought to the spectacular Petrarch Sonnets.
Sometimes the piano part was written as if it was about to take the singer’s place. Or shall I say Liszt was resisting the urge to tell it all just by the piano? On the latter half of his recital Kaufmann seemed to be emphasizing the peacefulness of Liszt’s melodies, and you would hardly miss the face that O lieb, solang du lieben kannst (track 13) is the vocal version of the best-known Liebestraum.