Leclair: Violin Concertos Vol.3
Leila Schayegh (violin and direction) / La Cetra Baroque Orchestra Basel (Glossa)
(scroll down for English review)
去年聽過莎耶格的巴哈小提琴無伴奏錄音，所以對她這張勒克萊爾（1697-1764）的小提琴協奏曲有興趣。在古鍵琴音樂稱霸法國巴洛克音樂之下，勒克萊爾是當時法國小提琴的重要代表，他一共寫了12首小提琴協奏曲，分成作品七（六首）及作品十（都是六首）。莎耶格在每一輯各抽兩首，來到錄音的第三集拉作品十的五及四，然後是作品七的五及四，完成了全集錄音。
我應該聽過寺神戶亮的勒克萊爾小提琴奏鳴曲錄音，協奏曲就沒聽過，莎耶格的演奏令我眼前一亮，這些樂曲可謂集意大利及法國巴洛克器樂之長，既有意大利小提琴音樂的炫技，但沒有它有時太機械化的毛病；有法國巴洛克的優雅，但又不會太過懶懶閒。小提琴技法上，勒克萊爾巧妙地把雙音、和弦、琶音等炫技編織入旋律之中，旋律舒暢之餘又不會太寡。
莎耶格在巴塞爾音樂學院教小提琴，這套錄音就和巴塞爾七弦琴古樂團合作，音高稍為降低到A=408Hz，她自己以及樂隊的弓法及發音，優先注重隨和的呼吸感，炫技感或神經質放得較低，我看就比不少近代的古樂團優勝，從巴洛克音樂來說，我覺得這些協奏曲比韋華第不少小提琴協奏曲有更高品味，亦更耐聽。
附上全部三集的試聽連結。
Leila Schayegh completed her survey of Leclair’s violin concertos with this third issue. She spread the twelve concertos of the op.7 and op.10 sets across three CDs, now this one contains the fifth and fourth concertos of each set.
Previously I only knew of Leclair’s violin sonatas and Schayegh’s performances of the concertos are eye opening. Leclair blended Italian and French baroque, taking what’s best with each musical style. There’s Italian virtuosity but without the dull robotic movement of some composers. With such virtuosity, French elegance is never lethargic. In terms of violin technique Leclair weaved the double stops, chords, arpeggios into the melodies, consequently the melodies sound smooth without being monotonous.
Schayegh set the pitch at A=408Hz, resulting in a slightly relaxed tone. She and the La Cetra players took special care on the bowings and tone production to let the phrases breathe, something that’s sorely missed in many hyper HIP ensembles today. To me these Leclair concertos show better taste than the typical Vivaldi concerto and deserve to be heard more.