Fanny & Felix Mendelssohn: String Quartets
Takács Quartet (Hyperion)
(scroll down for English review)
塔克斯四重奏在中提琴家Richard O’Neill加入後的第一張錄音，大約一年前於他們大本營美國科羅拉多大學附近一個音樂廳錄製，這是他們2006年加盟Hyperion後的首次，相信是疫情關係，令他們不能像過去般在英國錄音。亦因為這樣，幕後班底也要更改，不能用在Decca年代就跟他們合作的監製Andrew Keener及錄音師Simon Eadon。
這張專輯收錄了兩首孟德爾遜弦樂四重奏，以及他姐姐芬妮唯一的弦樂四重奏。兩首孟德爾遜（菲力斯），一首是他最知名的A小調（作品13、軌九至12），另一首是他在姐姐中風猝逝後，在悲痛下寫的F小調（作品80、軌五至八），芬妮那首就是開碟的作品，以樂曲編排來說是無懈可擊。就連封面也是，這幅畫是菲力斯1847年在琉森所畫，畫後不久他便收拾喪姊的心情寫F小調弦樂四重奏了。
先是音響質素、再是演奏水準才令我探究幕後班底是否轉了。芬妮那首我未聽過，還未太敢肯定，聽到菲力斯的F小調就真的相信是他們水準以下，第二小提琴、中提琴及大提琴好像遊魂，和弦揉合得差，就像是分開錄那般。雖然第一小提琴搶是應分，但發音太硬，亦欠缺造句的起伏，我認為是頂替的這位監製要求太低。而這個錄音就是他們來香港演奏巴托全集後一年灌錄，那次的音樂會我是失望的，聽這個錄音我卻覺得差不多，恐怕就是現在的塔克斯四重奏在無人鞭策下的正常運作。希望下個錄音可以在疫情緩和後，回到英國跟相熟團隊合作，而新成員又會和舊人磨合得更好。
This is the first recording of Takács Quartet to feature their current violist Richard O’Neill. Recorded in November 2020, this is also their first Hyperion recording to be made in Colorado, their home turf. Previously they made all their Hyperion recordings in Britain, so it’s probably due to the travel restrictions or the dormant concertizing due to covid. As a consequence, this recording was done by another team instead of the Andrew Keener (producer) and Simon Eadon (engineer) who have been with them since their time in Decca.
This album features the two Mendelssohn siblings. Felix is represented by his most played op.13 and the last quartet op.80 written in the aftermath of the sudden death of Fanny. The cover illustration is a view of Lucerne painted by Felix shortly before he began pouring his grief into the op.80 quartet. Fanny’s only quartet opens the disc.
I haven’t listened to Fanny’s quartet before so I couldn’t be sure that something’s wrong with the Takácses but with Felix’s op.80 it became certain that the new production team made a negative difference. The first violin obviously detached from the ensemble and the chords from other members didn’t really blend, sometimes giving me the impression that the instruments were recorded separately. I expect first violins to stand out in a string quartet, but Edward Dusinberre’s tone production was too hard-edged and without much phrasings.
I think the engineer didn’t really know how to record a string quartet appropriately and the producer didn’t have the consciousness that he had to push the players beyond their routine and deliver as perfect a product as possible, even though the players couldn’t achieve that level in live circumstances. I hope with normal traveling and concert giving the Takácses could regain their high standards.