Brahms: Paganini Variations
Schumann: Paganini Etudes
Joseph Moog (piano) (Onyx)
(scroll down for English review)
穆格本月一連推出兩張新碟，先聽第一張以帕格里尼為主題、但由布拉姆斯及舒曼所作的曲目，致敬對象當然是帕格里尼《24首隨想曲》。布拉姆斯的《帕格里尼主題變奏曲》（軌一及二）嚴格上不算是冷門曲目，但相比起他的《韓德爾主題變奏曲》少機會聽得多。至於舒曼的兩套《帕格里尼練習曲》（第一套：軌三至八、第二套：軌九至14），除了全集錄音，聽到的機會幾乎是零。
我又沒想過可以將這三套作品放在一起，雖然都是對帕格里尼致敬，但布拉姆斯及舒曼的取態還是有分別。布拉姆斯以《第24隨想曲》譜出兩套小型變奏曲（但加起來就算大型了），他追求的難，並不是多音符、彈得快這種難，而是不就手那種難，亦包括聲部間的獨立，就像帕格里尼用一支小提琴做出多過一人的效果。
舒曼就很在意用原曲的材料，挑戰鋼琴彈奏的極限，所以往往太過重手指操的感覺。穆格有充裕能力駕馭全碟三套樂曲，舉重若輕。所以我覺得舒曼這兩套練習曲即使遠及不上他原創曲，在樂曲配搭及演奏水平上還是很值得聽，反正以後都很少機會聽。
Although by Brahms and Schumann, these three sets of piano pieces in homage to Paganini aren’t being played or recorded often enough. Brahms’ Paganini Variations (tracks 1-2) are now eclipsed by his Handel Variations and the two sets of Paganini etudes by Schumann (tracks 3-14) are hardly tackled, unless in a complete survey of Schumann’s piano repertoire.
Brahms based his set of variations on Paganini’s most famous caprice but Schumann had his eyes on more caprices. But that’s just one difference between the two composers when they attempted to replicate Paganini’s fiendish virtuosity on the solo piano. Instead of the quickest tempi and the densest textures Brahms’ pursued awkwardness and the independence of voices, just as Paganini made one violin sound like two, or maybe more.
Schumann sought to transform Paganini’s melodies into the extremes of piano idiom, which is why these etudes often sound like finger exercises, and therefore ignored. I’m glad to hear Moog’s effortless dexterity in all three sets of works recorded here, the pairing of Schumann’s Paganini etudes and Brahms’ Paganini Variations justified the former’s worth as one great composer’s nod of approval towards another. Why not just take this chance to explore the Schumann, as you won’t be hearing them again very soon?