Arensky, Shostakovich: Piano Trios
Trio con Brio Copenhagen (Orchid Classics)
(scroll down for English review)
蕭斯達高維契兩首鋼琴三重奏，之間放入亞倫斯基1894年《第一鋼琴三重奏》，令我忘記當初為了蕭斯達高維契而聽的目的。蕭氏《第一鋼琴三重奏》（軌一）的聲名遠不及《第二》（軌六至九），它是單樂章作品，將夢幻及詭異兩種情緒間隔，只是聽完都沒幾多感覺。
這隊哥本哈根「活力」鋼琴三重奏，我覺得在弦樂的個人技術上比較輸蝕，是捉到感情但沒有將它們盡情表達的琴音，不過集中力是無可質疑的，在蕭氏《第二鋼琴三重奏》（軌六至九）可以聽到。
亞倫斯基《第一鋼琴三重奏》（軌二至五）倒是很大驚喜，柴可夫斯基的三重奏當然穩如泰山，但我會把亞倫斯基這首，放在拉赫曼尼諾夫及蕭斯塔高維契的三重奏（每人兩首）之上。第一及三樂章都有深情旋律，第二樂章的諧謔曲不知不覺間成為圓舞曲，第四樂章精神翼翼將之前的元素總結，是首很有「俄國魂」的作品。
The inclusion of Arensky’s First Piano Trio (1894) made me forget that I came to this disc because of the two Shostakovich trios. The single-movement Shostakovich First Trio (track 1) is overshadowed by the Second and it’s not hard to see why. Two opposing moods, one dreamy, the other eerie, drive the work on but neither left much impression on me.
This Trio con Brio Copenhagen is somehow lacking in the technical expressiveness from the string players. The violinist and cellist couldn’t make enough tone when the emotions call for them to sing their heart out. Still, their concentration could partially make up for that shortcoming, so the Second Trio (tracks 6-9) is convincing though hardly impressive.
Arensky’s First Trio (tracks 2-5) is a real discovery for me. I’m tempted to place it above the trios of Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, but just below Tchaikovsky, as my second favourite Russian piano trio. The melodies of the first and third movements are simple but heartfelt, the second movement Scherzo whirls into a waltz before I knew it. And the finale drives all the previous elements home. What a signature piece of the Russian Soul.