J.S.Bach, etc. A Well-Tempered Conversation
Julien Libeer (piano) (Harmonia Mundi)
(scroll down for English review)
不一樣的《平均律》新錄音，因為Julien Libeer只彈第一冊的大調前奏曲及賦格，小調的原有位置，改由12位作曲家的同調作品取替，但不一定是前奏曲及賦格。即是彈完巴哈C大調，C小調就選了貝多芬一首生前沒有出版的C小調短曲，然後就巴哈升C大調，之後是蕭邦一首升C小調馬祖卡。到最後的巴哈B大調後，無厘頭又很有厘頭輪到荀伯格的無調《六首鋼琴小曲》，結尾是巴哈C大調前奏曲，就像《哥德堡變奏曲》周而復始，完成一套90分鐘的節目。
選取的作曲家多數是熟悉的，德奧、法國、俄國、意大利都有，不過Libeer似是有意選出名作曲家的冷門作品，而兩個現代作曲家（利格蒂及荀伯格），雖然彈的是他們名作，但對主流觀眾來說都應該是冷門吧。
這種mix and match，十足十Greilsammer那樣，原來Libeer以前的唱片都喜歡玩配搭。那些我就不談，但以這套錄音而言，就是差在其他作曲家的作品實在不怎麼樣（多數來說），而且它們Libeer又彈得很一般，彈不出那些作曲家的風格，或者這是故意的？反而巴哈我又覺得彈得不錯，首先這樣抽出大調的前奏與賦格，更感覺到這部分的簡潔，更重要是Libeer的連奏彈得非常好，就連賦格，音符也連得很有音樂感。
可能下一集會是把巴哈小調前奏與賦格，再配上其他作曲家的大調作品吧？不過又是這麼冷門我就興趣不大了。
Julien Libeer replaced the minor preludes and fugues in WTC I and replaced them with 12 composers’ pieces in the relevant keys, resulting in a 90-minute recital celebrating Bach’s influence on future composers.
Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Ravel, Shostakovich… all familiar names but Libeer tended to pick their unknown pieces. Libeer’s spectrum ultimately reached Ligeti and Schoenberg, whose atonal op.19 Little Pieces took the place of B minor. Then the C Major Prelude was reprised, bringing the cycle to a close just like the Goldberg Variations.
In my opinion, this tasting palette suffers most from the non-Bach selections. Most pieces are better left unperformed and Libeer’s playing style fails to conform to their composers’ individual styles. Perhaps homogeneity was his intention. On the other hand, his Bach was very enjoyable with his exceptional legato, even in fugues the notes are delivered very melodiously.
I guess Libeer would follow this up with Bach’s minor preludes and fugues combined with 12 major pieces. But if those aren’t well selected I wouldn’t be so interested.