Beethoven: Piano Concertos No.4 & “6”
Gianluca Cascioli (piano)
Riccardo Minasi / Ensemble Resonanz (Harmonia Mundi)
(scroll down for English review)
兩首貝多芬鋼琴協奏曲的新錄音，一個賣點是聽慣聽熟的《第四鋼琴協奏曲》（軌一至三），從貝多芬的手稿比對出版的樂譜，找出鋼琴獨奏一些出入、或者是貝多芬留下的另類選擇，也許反映了貝多芬現場彈奏時的修飾或即興。不過我沒看過手稿，不知道開頭的和弦變成了琶音，到底是不是在手稿中，或是Cascioli的選擇。
此團是原音樂團，不過用的多是現代樂器，但用倣古奏法，銅管則採用自然樂器。Minasi跟他們以前的錄音，例如莫扎特最後三首交響曲，我覺得太過矯扭，但在貝多芬，可能有鋼琴獨奏的關係，就輪不到樂隊及指揮太自由，不過在強音的勁度，我是頗為欣賞，如果他們演奏交響曲我是有興趣，我相信會比同一品牌的柏林古樂團的貝多芬錄音有趣。
至於Cascioli，我開頭以為他是彈古鋼琴，或者一些19世紀鋼琴，打開小冊子，卻沒有標明是甚麼琴。再細看文章，才知道他彈的是現代鋼琴，可以扮得這麼似，我沒遇過。只聽琴音，觸鍵是「到木」的，這是他最似古鋼琴的地方，但另一方面，他用把腳踏用得頗盡，做出一般鋼琴家都不敢做的和聲效果。
只是我感覺從頭到尾，聲音太一貫的軟趴趴，未能跟從音樂的起伏，和樂隊的反差太大了。不過鋼琴版的《小提琴協奏曲》（軌四至六），這種軟趴趴卻令我覺得很有弦樂的歌唱感覺，尤其是本應沒有幾多旋律感的琶音、音階。就和《第四鋼琴協奏曲》，和聽慣有點出入，但不未至於是詮釋上有重大變化。
This recording of the Beethoven Fourth Piano Concerto (tracks 1-3) incorporated variants from a manuscript not found on the published version. Those variants might reflect how Beethoven actually played certain passages in concert. Cascioli rolled or arpeggiated the opening chord, I haven’t looked at the manuscript so I can’t tell if Beethoven intended that.
Ensemble Resonanz is a HIP ensemble using mainly modern instruments but they use natural brass instruments. Their previous Mozart album, also conducted by Minasi, was well received by some but I found it too exaggerated. This being a concerto recording, there’s hardly room for such exaggeration and I particularly enjoyed the fiery playing. The ensemble could have made some Beethoven symphonic recordings for the label, I hope.
I thought Cascioli was playing a fortepiano or an early piano, but the booklet specs mentioned nothing of the instrument used. Then I read the booklet notes and found that he simply played a modern piano. Then it’s quite a feat achieving such sound. The staccato was punchy and you can hear the keys striking against wood. Yet Cascioli was very daring in his use of the pedal, producing harmonic effects that most pianists eschew.
But Cascioli’s tone was too brittle for my taste, such quality was maintained throughout and I need to have more tension and volume in louder passages. But Cascioli’s brittle tone often had a heightened sense of legato, and this served the op.61a concerto (tracks 4-6) very well. Cascioli often sounded like playing a string instrument, producing very pleasing phrases in the usually non-melodious arpeggios and scales.