Bruckner: Symphony No.7
François-Xavier Roth / Cologne Gürzenich Orchestra (Myrios)
(scroll down for English review)
初天談完一個最慢的《哥德堡變奏曲》，今天談一個（可能）最快的布魯克納第七，也是羅特和科隆愛樂的布魯克納交響曲全集的第一張。雖然沒有所謂標準速度，但布魯克納七的演奏大多數是65至70分鐘，柴利比達克或上岡敏之去到90分鐘的演奏固然是慢的極端。
羅特只用了56分鐘，但我並非未聽過這麼快的演奏，不過就是在現場，聽過N約菲（P和K的老爸）指揮新澤西交響樂團，是不用一小時的演奏，其實快有快的順耳，尤其是第一樂章，假如堅守樂譜指定的2/2拍子，是可以奏得快，而且會有很流暢的句子。
但我覺得羅特的問題，不只是快，而是把弦樂弄得太薄。雖然我經常提到原音派用快速演奏貝多芬交響曲時，聲音通常會較浪漫派的薄，但布魯克納的快板遠遠不及貝多芬急趕，於是奏得快，或者用兩拍子去奏，非但不一定令聲音變薄，其實弦樂更可以用更多的弓去拉每個音符，於是聲音反而更激烈。我愈來愈遠離極慢的布魯克納演奏，因為我不相信慢就是有靈性、或者深情，但羅特的快卻是連聲響及感情都太過壓抑了。
Here’s a Bruckner 7 that could be the fastest on record, or at least in recent times. With this CD Roth and his Gürzenich Orchestra kicked off their projected Bruckner cycle. I was initially excited to hear the announcement of this disc, saying the playing time is only 56 minutes. Although I used to be under the spell of ultra-slow Bruckner 7, especially Celibidache’s or Kamioka’s recordings, I gradually welcome Bruckner interpretations that are swift but passionate.
But the problem with Roth was that he made the strings sound too lean. Although a faster tempo in fast movements usually result in a thinner sound, but Bruckner’s allegros are hardly like Beethoven’s. Bruckner’s notes and lines are longer and with a quicker tempo string players usually have more bow for each note. As a result, swift Bruckner recordings are usually fiery I no longer believe slowness equals profoundness but Roth’s swiftness failed to liberate Bruckner’s inherent passion but instead dampened it.